To,                                                                        11 June 2015                                                             Shri Manohar Parrikar,                                                                                                                       Defence Minister,                                                                                                                                 Room No -104 South Block,                                                                                                                  Ministry of Defence,                                                                                                                            New Delhi-110011

SUBJECT: CORRUPTION IN ARUNODAYA PROGRAMME OF DRDO IN  CASE OF CIVIL HIRED VEHICLE  AT DRL BY DR. VIJAY VEER, DIRECTOR , DEFENCE RESEARCH LABORATORY (DRL), TEZPUR, DRDO, MIN. OF DEFENCE

Sir,

1. Defence Research Laboratory (DRL), Tezpur (Assam) is an establishment under Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO), Ministry of Defence.
2. Vijay Veer, Scientist ‘G’ is Director, DRL, Tezpur with effect from 01 March 2012 and Mr. Baikuntha Jyoti Gogoi (B.J. Gogoi), Scientist ‘D’ is Nodal Officer of Programme Arunodaya at DRL, Tezpur.
3. Manas Kumar Mandal, Distinguished Scientist is Director General of the Life Sciences Cluster with effect from 02 September 2013. Dr. Mandal was a Professor of Psychology at the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT, Kharagpur, prior to joining DRDO and his recruitment in DRDO is mystery well known to CVO, MOD and DRDO.
4. The Arunodaya Programme was sanctioned by GOI letter No. DGLS/DRL/P(TD)/14-15/99/1957/D(R&D) dated 25 August 2014 and DPC letter No. DRDO/DPC/DIR/32500/LS/2014 dated 27 August 2014 signed by Ms. Nabnita R Krishnan, Director, Directorate of Planning & Coordination (DPC), DRDO HQ. Total cost of the Programme is about Rs. 38 crore with PDC of 05 Years (Aug 2014 to Aug 2019).
5. Under the guidance and approval of Dr. Manas Kumar Mandal Life Sciences cluster planned a project known as ARUNODAYA PROGRAMME “Soldier Preparedness in High Mountain of NE Region: Arunodaya Programme” with Project No. TD/14-15/DRL-99 and Cost about Rs. 18 crore was sanctioned to DRL, Tezpur.
6. DRL, Tezpur is nodal laboratory of Arunodaya Programme. Mr. H.K. Gogoi, Scientist ‘F’ is Project Coordinator and Mr. Baikuntha Jyoti Gogoi, Scientist ‘D’ is Nodal Officer of Arunodaya Programme.
7. The business of eating and looting public money has started in this Arunodaya Programme by Mr. B.J. Gogoi and Dr. Vijay Veer under patronage of Dr. Manas Kumar Mandal, DG, Life Sciences. One such example of corruption is submitted as case study.

CASE STUDY

1. Draft (not Minute Sheet/ Statement of Case) dated 11 December 2014 under Programme Arunodaya from Programme Office, Arunodaya, DRL, Tezpur initiated by Mr. B.J. Gogoi, Scientist ‘D’, Nodal Officer for “Provision of Civil Hired Transport (Light Vehicle- 4×4 Mahindra Scorpio Diesel or Equivalent) on monthly rental basis for Programme Office Arunodaya at DRL, Tezpur for the year 2015”. The same was approved by Dr. Vijay Veer, Director, DRL on 12 December 2014. Copy enclosed
2. The Project No. S&T-09/DIH-116 entitled “Development of Specific Technologies to meet the fresh food requirement of Armed Forces under different Operational Environments” was sanctioned by DRDO HQ vide letter No. DLS/79/99705/DIH-116/745/D(R&D) dated 31 March 2009 in which DRL, fund of Rs. 1484 Lakh was sanctioned to DRL, Tezpur in the said project and there was provision of procurement of vehicle with fund of Rs. 9.0 Lakh. Copy of the relevant sanction for procurement of vehicle under project fund
3. Tata Safari was purchased under the project with approximate cost of Rs. 8.5 lakh in year of 2011. As a matter of fact, DRL, Tezpur is already having a project vehicle Tata Safari with Registration No. 11B108688Y that was purchased under the Project No. S&T-09/DIH-116 sanctioned in April 2009. Since the project is completed hence this project vehicle should be used in any other project and there was no need of hired transport as DRL, Tezpur was already having project vehicle. Photo of the said Project Vehicle Tata Safari is enclosed.
4. B.J. Gogoi, Scientist ‘D’ and Dr. Vijay Veer, Director make a master plan for looting public money by hiring 4×4 Mahindra Scorpio vehicle at about 8 lakhs/year. If their intensions were positive they would have thought of purchasing such vehicle rather than hiring the same at 8 lakhs/year, despite the Tata Safari (Project Vehicle) was already available with DRL.
5. In the demand dated 12.12.2014, under point (2) of Note at page no. 2, it is stated that “The firms are registered/will be got registered before tender enquiry”. According the demand dated 12.12.2014 initiated by Mr. M.G. Vairale, Scientist ‘C’ & MTO and countersigned by Mr. B.J. Gogoi, Scientist ‘D’. This demand was endorsed by Store Officer and OI/C Budget & Project Cell.
6. As per the demand, the tender enquiry was floated to following seven firms. In demand the column of registration No. is blank for all vendors, which itself proves that none of the vendors were registered at DRL, Tezpur as per basic requirement of Purchase Manual 2006.
7. In scope of work under point (1) Service, it is stated “Provision of Vehicles registered as Commercial Vehicles with licensed drivers” but the hired vehicle provided by the contractor is having white number plate with Registration No. AS 25 E 1645, Blue Color Mahindra XUV. In case this vehicle have been registered as commercial vehicle at RTO then it should have been having yellow number plate and should have been registered as Commercial Vehicle(Taxi). This establish the Vehicle No. AS 25 E 1645 is personal vehicle and not the commercial vehicle. The indenter, nodal officer as well as Director are fully aware of this fact and it grossly violated the scope of work and terms & condition of the contract agreement. Photo of hired vehicle at DRL – Mahindra XUV 500 REG No. AS 25 E 1645 enclosed.
8. The contract is for 12×7 = 84 Hours /Week but in DRDO office hours are 09:00 to 17:30 and 05 days week, then how hired vehicle was utilized 12 hours per day and seven days in week. This proves the contract is bogus and main objective is misappropriation of public fund by Mr. B.J. Gogoi and Dr. Vijay Veer on the name of hired vehicle.
9. Two Project Vehicles may be purchased hardly within one month as there was provision of Rs. One crore in sanction of the project for hired vehicle/transport but why till date vehicles were not purchased? The answer is very simple – corruption and eating money by Nodal Officer and Director.
10. Through Investigation and Verification of Registration of vehicle as Commercial Vehicle, Entries in the Log Book of the said vehicle, Service Tax payment by vendor to Custom & Excise Department, Tour Program/Movement Order/ Tour Claims of official of DRL and bill submitted by vendor to DRL will itself show the whole conspiracy on the name of Hired Vehicle at DRL, Tezpur in Arunodaya Programme.
11. There are several such cases are available in DRL, Tezpur regarding fake claim and misappropriation of public fund in hired vehicles.

Therefore in light of above mentioned facts and evidences following actions are requested.

• Cancel the contract immediately to save public money as Project Vehicle Tata Safari is available at DRL, Tezpur.
• To procure two new project vehicles at earliest
• Through investigation of all procurement/contracts cases etc in Arunodaya Project made by Mr. B.J. Gogoi till now.

Regards

Prabhu Dandriyal,                                                                                                                               21-Sunderwala, Raipur                                                                                                                       Dehradun-248008                                                                                                                               Email prabhudoo@gmail.com website- www.corruptionindrdo.com

Enclosed:- documentary evidences mentioned above

Copy to: Maj Gen. Ajay Gupta, Director, Dte of Vigilance & Security, DRDO Bhawan, Rajaji Marg, New Delhi -110105

With reference to your Directorate letter no DVS/02/2052/P/26 dated 25 May 2015 (copy enclosed) as this project vehicle is using as staff car putting red beacon with front mounted Director, DRL name plate proves the use