Suspended engineer back in same post

Bangalore, April 29: Bruhat Bengalauru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Superintending Engineer K T Nagaraj, suspended six months ago on a charge of corruption, is back in the same post in the same Major Works Department of the civic body.

But another Palike Superintending Engineer, S Prabhakar, who probed the charges against Nagaraj, has been shunted out of the Major Works Department and dumped in the garbage section to handle solid waste management.

Nagaraj’s suspension was triggered by a Deccan Herald exposé on July 8, last year, which was based on the documents obtained under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. On the basis of the report, the erstwhile BBMP Commissioner Siddaiah had ordered the Technical Vigilance Cell under Commissioner (TVCC) to probe the matter. At that time, Prabhakar was the second-in-command in the cell.

The probe into the works carried out in 2009, in and around Jalahalli in the City, had revealed that 14 engineers, including Chief Engineer Krishna Reddy, Superintending Engineer K T Nagaraj and audit officer Shashidhar had facilitated contractor Munirathna, now Yeshwanthapura corporator, to get his bills cleared even before the work was completed.

The TVCC had also found that the estimates and the payments were much higher than the rates fixed by the Karnataka PWD, incurring a loss of Rs 1.85 crore to the Palike. While placing Nagaraj under suspension, Siddaiah had recommended the government to recover the amount from these officers and initiate action.

While the state government kept the recommendation for recovery of the amount and action against the erring officers in cold storage, Nagaraj managed to get posted in the same place from where he was thrown out.

Three months ago, Nagaraj managed to find a place in the Yelahanka Zone of the BBMP. Around the same time, Prabhakar was shifted from the TVCC to the Major Roads department. Five days ago, the Palike administration effected another reshuffle bringing Nagaraj to the Major Works Department and dumping Prabhakar to the Solid Waste Management Department.

When contacted, BBMP Commissioner M K Shankarlinge Gowda said Nagaraj’s posting became necessary since the work on Mysore Road “is moving at a snail’s pace.”

Former corporator M Pari, who had extracted information about Nagaraj and 13 other officers under the RTI, said he was shocked by the turn of events.