Gujarat High Court Issues Notice in ONGC CSR Fund Scam

INDIACSR News Network

AHMEDABAD: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) writ petition filed by two senior officers of ONGC, K.C.Harikumar and Anil Dhavan the Gujarat High Court issued notice today (24 November 2011) to PSU-ONGC, Government, Central Vigilance Commission etc.

A division bench of acting Chief Justice Bhaskar Bhattacharya and Justice J B Pardiwala while issuing notices 24 November 2011, asked respondents to file reply within three weeks.

The PIL was filed by two senior officers of ONGC, K C Harikumar and Anil Dhavan, in which they have sought investigation into the alleged multi-crore scam wherein donations were collected by top ONGC officials in the name of charity from multinational contractors and there was “misappropriation” of funds meant for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).

The petitioners say that R.S.Sharma, the then CMD of ONGC and Sudhir Vasudeva the then Director (Offshore), Mumbai and now CMD of ONGC, with the help of other Directors and senior Officers had helped ONGC Mahila Samithi headed by Smt. Rashmi Sharma wife of Shri R.S.Sharma, in collecting huge sum of Money – to the tune of Rs.3.257 crores- as donation from 49 Multinational Contractors including SCHLUMBERGER, Reliance Industries etc. who had contract work in ONGC Offshore in Mumbai. The donations were collected in the name of charity.

Acceptance of such donation being in contravention to the Rules of the Corporation and Anti corruption Law etc. the petitioners sought information through RTI and after getting solid information, they made complaints under the Whistle Blower Policy to the ONGC, CVC and to the Government but the authorities did not act on such complaint as required under various Acts/Rules. In the complaint to CVC, the petitioners had given details of corruption in ONGC : Leading face of Management-Contractor nexus and inner cancer of “Science Faking”. Petitioners also furnished details of benefit that the Contractors extracted from ONGC after such donations.

It is also alleged in the petition that under the Chairmanship of R.S.Sharma, ONGC adopted ONGC Mahila Samithi headed by his wife, as a partner in the Composite Social Responsibility and diverted huge funds under guise of social work, in the year 2010-2011 an amount of Rs.4, 11,53,667.00 was given as grant, and that such allocation of fund led to misuse and misappropriation etc. It is urged in the petition that in the larger interest of the organization and the nation, a thorough investigation is required to be ordered. After hearing the Hon. High Court was pleased to issue notice returnable after three weeks.

Mukul Sinha along with Shri K.G.Pillai appeared for the petitioners.

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