There has been a photocopy scam at the Bhopal Masjid Committee. A committee consisting of three members was established by the government to look into this issue. The Masjid Committee paid Rs 16 for a photocopy of a single page, according to the committee's report. It is regarded as financial impropriety by the committee.
This swindle took place when Yasir Arafat was the Masjid Committee's secretary-in-charge. He was suspended by the administration following the release of the report. The government established an inquiry commission, chaired by Savita Jhaniya, Joint Director of the Department of Backward and Minority Welfare, to conduct a probe. On March 15, 2024, the committee turned in its findings to the government.
The committee's inquiry revealed that Arafat, the former secretary-in-charge, lacked financial authority. They continued to break the law and conduct irregularities in their tenders even after this. Check out this report to learn how the con was executed.
After the Kamal Nath administration fell in 2020, the Bhopal Masjid Committee was dissolved by the Shivraj government. Since then, the committee has not appointed any new office-bearers until recently. Under such circumstances, the committee's work was being managed by the in-charge secretary.
The three-member committee's investigative report claims that because the Masjid Committee had not been established, Yasir Arafat, the then-secretary-in-charge, was not granted any financial authority. In spite of this, he had, without official government approval, released a tender for photocopies of over two lakh Nikah forms.
On the other hand, per regulations, the state government must grant clearance for any tender to purchase materials valued at more than Rs 2.50 lakh. In addition, it was disregarded that the tender advertisement must be published in two publications.
According to the report, M/s Veyuntech (Rs 16), Soft Variode Pvt Ltd (Rs 22), and Sky Solution (Rs 25) each provided three quotes for the Nikah form. Wayuntech was awarded a contract for more than 2 lakh photocopies based on the employees' committee's suggestion. Following this, on September 27, 2022, another payment of Rs 34 lakh 21 thousand 800 (including GST) was made.
According to the report of the inquiry committee, the market rate per form would not have exceeded Rs 5 if the tender for this work had been publicized in two newspapers. This work may have been completed for Rs 10 lakh 69 thousand 250 in such a case. On the other hand, the contract was granted at a fee of Rs 16.
Rs 97 lakh was paid as per the contract employees committee's suggestion.
The inquiry committee brought up the issue of financial mismanagement under the guise of building maintenance in its findings. According to the study, the contract for the restoration of the Masjid Committee building was awarded in violation of the regulations, just like the bidding for the photocopy of the Nikah planning form. The contract was awarded for this as well, requesting three quotes without publishing an advertisement in two newspapers.
For this task, a committee comprising four employees was also constituted. It included Mohammad Rashid (UDC), contract laborers Mushtaq Ansari and Syed Khalikul Hasan, and contract teacher MA Mansoori. A check for Rs 97 lakh, 77 thousand, and 86 was given to the building repair contractor on this committee's suggestion. It is seen as an abnormality in finances.
According to the report, Yasir Arafat, who was the secretary-in-charge at the time, is accused of depositing Rs. 10 lakh, or 31,712, which belonged to 24 employees who were placed in the mosque committee and 16 employees who worked in schools, into other accounts instead of the CPF account. This sum was taken out of the employees' paychecks as a CPF advance and contribution from September 2023 to December 2023. According to the investigating committee's recommendation, Secretary-in-Charge Arafat ought to face consequences.
