EOW steps up e-tendering probe after 2nd CERT report

EOW steps up e-tendering probe after 2nd CERT report

CERT Detected Breach In 54 More Tenders In First Report

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Bhopal: 06.11.2021

Madhya Pradesh Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has stepped up its probe into the e-tendering scam after getting the long awaited second report on ‘digital hack’ from Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERTIn), Delhi.

Investigation had hit a wall since this report was pending with CERT-In. While officials concerned refused to comment, sources say that the second report is akin to the one that they had sent earlier and has been done in a manner that the agency will have to decide upon their line of investigations so as to face fewer difficulties during the trials.

EOW had sent multiple reminders to CERT-In in the past. In the first report CERTIn had detected breach in 54 more tenders that was sent to it by the probe agency, but off late they have failed to draw a conclusion.

“There has to be a clear linkage between the accused who breached the process and the beneficiary to charge-sheet the later. Else there would be trouble during the trials,” said an officer.

Meanwhile, the agency has started recording statements of the companies to which these tenders were allotted. They are trying to connect the dots between IT professionals, new private companies, bureaucrats and political leaders believed to be involved in the alleged scam.

Names of a former minister and two of his personal secretaries had also cropped up during investigations. A previous report by the computer emergency response team pointed out to the fact that tampering in the e-tendering process was done from the systems used by the private IT company accessing Wi-Fi connections and mobile hotspots, some beyond international borders. Alleged breach in Madhya Pradesh state electronic development corporation (MPSEDC) software had led to the Rs 3,000- crore scam, forcing the government to revoke nine of its major tenders floated in 2018. Investigators believe all tenders issued by MPSEDC since 2013 worth over Rs 80,000 crore have been tampered with. In July, the Supreme Court asked a trial court in Madhya Pradesh to conclude the trial and pronounce the judgment in ‘e-tendering’ scam within 12 months. The apex court dismissed a special leave petition (SPL) bail plea filed by one of the accused, who had been in jail for the last two years.

The trial court was directed to conclude the trial and pronounce the judgment within a period of one year from the date of receipt of the copy of the order.

On April11, 2019, a day after registering an FIR into the etendering scam against directors of seven private companies and ‘unknown bureaucrats and politicians’, Madhya Pradesh state economic offences wing (EOW) had rounded up three software professionals and raided a company jointly operated by them, for allegedly hacking government portal and ‘modifying contents’.

The agency has started recording statements of the companies to which these tenders were allotted. They are trying to connect the dots between IT professionals, new private companies, bureaucrats and political leaders believed to be involved in the alleged scam