Andhra Pradesh high court issues notices on PIL over transformer procurement irregularities

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh high court on Wednesday issued notices to the state govt, directing it to file a counter affidavit in the PIL filed by former DGP-rank officer A B Venkateswara Rao, seeking directions for a probe by the CBI into alleged irregularities in the purchase of electrical transformers by state discoms.Rao alleged that tender norms were designed in a tailor-made fashion to suit Shirdi Sai Electricals, and the transformers were purchased at an exorbitant price. Arguing on his behalf, senior counsel B Adinarayana Rao told the HC bench headed by Chief Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Challa Gunaranjan that there was a difference of Rs 65,000 between AP and Telangana in the purchase of transformers with the same specifications.Rao alleged in the PIL that AP discoms purchased a 2-star BIS standard transformer for Rs 1.4 lakh, but the same transformer was purchased for just Rs 85,000 by Telangana discoms. Similar price variations have been noticed in other states like Chhattisgarh, he claimed, adding that the modus operandi started in 2022 during the YSRCP regime, and the same is being continued even now, causing huge losses to the state exchequer.Rao further pointed out the irregularities in the procurement process of 5-star-rated transformers. While the tender notification specified a 5-star-rated BIS standard transformer, the purchase order was given for EEL-3 transformers, he pointed out, while adding that the norms were designed to eliminate the competition only to render other companies disqualified.Arguing on behalf of the govt, advocate general Dammalapati Srinivas questioned the bona fides of Rao on the ground of publicising the filing of the PIL, while asking why the petitioner was silent all these years as the procurement was done in 2022. As multiple issues have been raised in the petition, he sought time to submit details.Considering the arguments, the high court said it will pass orders for an inspection by experts from BIS to test whether the transformers supplied are equivalent to the specifications mentioned in the tender norms. The court also asked the state govt to explain the price variation between the transformers of the same specifications in different states and added that it will cancel the transaction if required.