No fraud in project: NICE

No fraud in project: NICE
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises Limited (NICEL) on Tuesday denied it had committed a fraud in the Bangalore-Mysore infrastructure corridor (BMIC) project.

‘‘What is really interesting is that after 10 years of the project, the KIADB realized the so-called fraud played by us on a weekend, while finalizing the statement of objections. This is because a certain political family, using extra-constitutional authority, has helped them into reaching this conclusion during the weekend,’’ NICEL said in a statement in response to a report on the State Government and KIADB affidavit in the High Court.

‘‘It is also shocking to note the claim of the State Government and KIADB that NICE has not been established by the Consortium members. All legal procedures, as per the Companies Act were followed while establishing Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprises Limited,’’ the statement said.

The company said it was sad to note the allegations of KIADB, accusing a former bureaucrat of having colluded with NICE to issue orders. It denied any vested reasons behind employing the official, the statement said in an obvious reference to ex-PWD Secretary Major Ramesh, who joined the NICEL as its project director after retirement from government service. ‘‘We would also like to mention that in other infrastructure projects, retired bureaucrats are being employed for their experience and technical expertise, which otherwise is hard to come by.

‘‘This just goes to show the sheer desperation of these politicians and bureaucrats with vested interests who have failed through legal means. They are now resorting to these desperate tactics to mislead the general public,’’ the statement said. It added that it was unfortunate that the company had to remind certain members in the present Coalition government and the bureaucrats of the State Government that all aspects of the project and the framework agreement had been upheld by courts.

The NICE also said that the High Court posted the hearing on PILs to March 1 following a decision by the Division Bench and not following a submission from NICE counsel.