The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case to probe an alleged scam in the supply of High Security Registration Plates (HSRPs) to Meghalaya by a Mumbai-based private company.
The HSRP scheme for all the vehicles in India was introduced by the Central government in 2001. The State governments were permitted to call tenders for approving rates for supply of the plates and executing the implementation of work.
The then Meghalaya government floated a tender in 2003 for the execution of the scheme. Three private players named Shimnit Utsch India Private Limited (Mumbai), Real Industries Limited-Delhi (name later changed to Real Mazon India Limited) and Mumbai-based Tonnjes Eastern Security Technologies Private Limited (name later changed to Test Security License Plates Private Limited) participated in the tender process.
In 2005, the State government's Transport Department awarded the work to Shimnit Utsch India Private Limited for supply of the plates at allegedly highly inflated rates. It is alleged that all the three bidders were controlled by Nitin Shah, director of Shimnit Utsch India Private Limited. The plates were supplied at the rates four to five times more than those in rest of the country.
Accordingly, the CBI has named Mr. Shah as an accused in the case. Unknown officials of the Transport Department are also under the scanner for conspiring with the accused to rig the tender process by accepting collusive bids through the entities controlled by him and approving the exorbitant rates.
