CBI to investigate irregularities in ASI epigraphy project

HYDERABAD: Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has formally written to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), Bengaluru unit, requesting a probe into alleged irregularities involving several public servants in connection with the digitisation of estampages at the epigraphy branch in Mysuru.

The letter, dated July 11 and signed by ASI additional director general and chief vigilance officer Madhukar, lists a series of issues that were flagged for investigation following internal findings and a prior vigilance inquiry.ASI noted that with the approval of the competent authority, the matter was now being referred to CBI for further action under Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2018.

Specific issues flagged include assigning buyer and consignee duties to unauthorised personnel, placing repeated purchase orders to Hirachi Enterprises, and reimbursing 2.4 lakh to four officials for direct purchases made outside the standard procedures.

ASI noted that plywood worth 1.65 lakh was procured to house camera equipment used in digitisation work, and accommodations rented for official purposes were used to carry out the digitisation activity.Another concern raised pertains to the private agency, Dronacharya Seva Sansthan, allegedly failing to deposit EPF contributions of labourers engaged in project, even as payments were released to agency without verification.

The sequence of events dates back to 2022 when a Telangana-based photojournalist, D Ravinder Reddy, approached the HC over the cancellation of a work order related to the digitisation of nearly one lakh estampages - manual paper copies of inscriptions - stored at ASI's epigraphy branch in Mysuru.Norms flouted to favour foreign firm: HCAccording to court proceedings, ASI had initially floated a tender on the GeM platform for a project valued at 1.5 crore.

Ravinder Reddy, who has over three decades of experience in photo documentation, emerged as the lowest bidder and was invited to Mysuru for a demonstration. However, the tender was cancelled, and the contract was later awarded to a Netherlands-based firm, PIQL, at an cost of 5.61 crore.The HC set aside ASI's revised work order and directed that the contract be awarded to the next eligible bidder. The HC observed that norms were flouted to favour the foreign firm. Following the verdict, several officials from ASI were transferred amid suspicion of irregularities, and an internal vigilance probe was ordered.