Ranchi, Dec. 7: The state building construction department would completely demolish the "dilapidated" Haj House in the capital's Kadru locality and rebuild the facility soon, departmental secretary K.K. Soan said today.
Soan said that the demolition process would start as soon as samples and other evidence were collected from the existing Haj House building in connection with a case of alleged misappropriation of funds and poor construction being probed by the state anti-corruption bureau (erstwhile vigilance bureau).
"The existing Haj House will be demolished and a new building will come up in its place. Chief minister Raghubar Das (who also holds the building construction portfolio) has already given a directive in this regard. He has also ordered action against all erring engineers and contractors," he said during a news conference at Suchana Bhavan this morning.
Soan further said that a committee comprising officials of the anti-corruption bureau and the state housing board would be formed for sample collection to strengthen the case in court and bring all culprits to book. However, he refused to specify any deadline for sample collection or demolition work.
Inspector-general, anti-corruption bureau, M.L. Meena told The Telegraph that probe was on and the bureau would file more charge-sheets in the case soon.
"We have requested the court to visit the site for verification of evidence in this case. Though a charge-sheet has already been filed, more charge-sheets are likely to be submitted once the bureau collects all evidence," he added.
In the 2006-07 fiscal, the state cabinet had cleared a proposal of the welfare department for construction of five-storied Haj House on one acre in Kadru at an estimated cost of Rs 4.8 crore.
Then welfare minister Joba Manjhi entrusted the state housing board with the task. But, instead of floating tenders, the housing board officials appointed some construction firms on nomination basis for the project.
The quality of work was so poor that its walls started collapsing during construction itself. In 2009, seven labourers and a mason were severely injured when a portico of the under construction building collapsed, prompting then governor K. Sankaranarayanan to order technical inspection of the building. Jharkhand was under President's Rule then.
After separate inspections, both BIT-Mesra and Suntech Engineers and Contractors declared the building "condemned" and said it could "collapse anytime". The reports stated that low quality of construction materials were used while the basic architectural and construction norms were flouted in the project.
During preliminary investigations, it was found that junior engineer Anurag Kumar of the state housing board was the supervising officer for the project and had approved the quality of the construction.
In 2012, the state government finally ordered a vigilance inquiry into the scam.
In its first charge-sheet submitted before the court of judge Md Sakir in September this year, the bureau accused Anurag of misappropriating Rs 1.5 crore and held him responsible for the inferior quality of work.
During further investigations, the sleuths found that then housing board chief engineer Kiran Kujur, executive engineer B.K. Lal, assistant engineer Sabir Ali and Jamshedpur-based construction firm Kaymuddin and Company, among others, were also involved in the scam. Sources said the next charge-sheet, which the bureau is likely to file soon, may include the names of these accused.
