Power Minister announces departmental inquiry in an attempt to tamper coal samples at thermal plant
Bahadurjeet Singh/Rupnagar,April 29,2024
On April, 27,2024. News Portal royalpatiala.in had published a news ” Bid to tamper with coal samples at Rupnagar Thermal Plant causes flutter in PSPCL circles, four held”
After the news was published, the Minister for Power and PWD Harbhajan Singh ETO, ordered a departmental inquiry to investigate the role of PSPCL employees including private companies/persons regarding the attempt of tempering with coal samples at Guru Gobind Singh Super Thermal Plant Roop Nagar. The minister said that anyone irrespective of position and post found involved in such activities will face a stern action and the government will not tolerate such activities.
Power Minister announces departmental inquiry in an attempt to tamper coal samples at thermal plant. The minister informed that and FIR was lodged against six persons on 22.03.2024 under section 457, 380 of IPC at Roop Nagar. So far four individuals have been apprehended by the police in connection with the crime namely Piyush Kumar R/o Jhungia , Arvind Kumar R/o Jhungia, Varun Kumar R/o Phagwara &Pushpinder R/o Nuhon Colony. The remaining two persons i.e. Kailash Kumar R/o Jhungia& Nakul Gupta R/o Delhi are yet to be apprehended.
Minister
According to information the incident reportedly took place on the night of March 17.The coal lab staff found all the locks of main door and strong room in broken condition on the morning of March 18 and later on in the presence of police officials and PSPCL officials ,all the three locks of the almirah containing 16 samples were also found in broken condition. These 16 challenged referee samples belonging to M/s Monnet Daniels Coal Washeries Limited (MDCWL), the company which supply washed coal to thermal plant, were kept in joint custody in locked almirah in strong room at the coal testing lab of the thermal plant for onward submission to independent coal testing lab CSIR-Dhanbad. Attempt was made to tamper with these 16 samples. Other refree samples in the almirah were not disturbed. Locks of adjoining almirah were also found broken.
It may be mentioned that coal samples locked jointly in coal testing lab were of great significance and huge financial stakes (in crores) were involved on the test results of these samples.
The accused took away CPU containing CCTV recording and one CCTV camera with alleged intention to misplace the records of testing of samples and CCTV recording of accused.
Ropar police on April 22,2024 registered a case under section 457 (If someone commits lurking house-trespass or house-breaking at night with the intention of committing any punishable offense) and 380 (Whoever commits theft in any building, tent or vessel, which building, tent or vessel is used as a human dwelling, or used for the custody of property) of IPC at Rupnagar Sadar police station in this regard on the complaint of chief chemist of the thermal plant.
Bid to tamper with coal samples at Rupnagar Thermal Plant causes flutter in PSPCL circles, four held
