Three officers of the Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited were suspended by the Industries Department following a preliminary inquiry conducted by the Vigilance and Security Superintendent on the purchase of sub-standard Calcined Petroleum Coke (CPC) from a firm in Karunagappally.
Sources in the company said that Assistant General Manager and former Purchase Manager K Raghavan, Manager (materials) Reghudas and deputy manager (materials) Vikraman Nair are those suspended.
There were charges that tender procedures and purchase rules were violated in awarding tender for supply of CPC for 2012-2013 to Sai International Trading Company (SITCO), Karunagappally. The preliminary inquiry report accessed by Express stated that the officers in the Materials Department had ‘interest’ in helping SITCO get the tender. The clause that only manufacturers can attend the tender was removed, thus helping SITCO, which is not a manufacturer of the CPC.
Of the total five companies which participated in the tender, three are manufacturers. The most important finding of the report was that the mandatory sample of the CPC provided by SITCO for participating in the tender was rejected as it did not meet the specifications.
The report said that AGM K Raghavan had taken interest to give SITCO another chance by asking them to submit another sample. The second sample was submitted on February 15 and lab results came on February 21. The recommendation for tender participants, including SITCO, was written on February 18.
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