Civic survey linked to funds firm

ABHIJEET CHATTERJEE

Durgapur, May 2: Police today seized filled-up forms of a property tax survey undertaken by the Trinamul-run Durgapur municipal corporation from the closed head office of the Axes group, whose owner is absconding following a case of cheating related to land-linked deposit mobilisation. A mayor-in-council member said Axes was given the job of conducting the survey by the civic body without floating tenders, a claim that prompted the CPM to allege that Trinamul mayor Apurba Mukherjee had links with Axes owner Kattyayan Bhattacharyya. Mukherjee, who had been felicitated by Bhattacharyya at an event after he became mayor in June last year, said a tender had been floated but added he could not remember the specifics. Two former CPM civic leaders said the survey had been conducted jointly by the state valuation board and the corporation six years ago and there was "no need" to engage a private agency, although such a move was not illegal. A Durgapur youth who said he was one of the surveyors hired on a contractual basis claimed he had collected his remuneration from Axes offices. The Telegraph could not speak to senior Axes officials because the offices of the group have been closed down and its three directors — Bhattacharyya, Satyajit Bose and Saraswati Bose are absconding. Cases such as cheating and breach of trust were lodged against the trio after a retired ECL employee complained to court that he was not given land for which he had paid the company. The I-cards given to the surveyors do not mention Axes group. At the bottom of the cards, "Aesthetic, Benachity, Durgapur" is mentioned. The newspaper, residents and the surveyors could not locate any such company in the area. Internet search also drew a blank. The mayor-in-council member in charge of resource mobilisation and property tax, Madhusudan Mandal, said the survey began last December. "The job was given to the Axes group following instructions by Apurba Mukherjee. Tenders were not floated. The issue was also not discussed at civic board meetings. The survey has already been conducted in two wards, including that of the mayor's," Mandal said. "We paid them (Aesthetic) Rs 4 lakh ," he added. Mayor Mukherjee denied that a tender was not floated. "I don't know what Madhusudan Mandal said. I will have to speak to him first. But tenders were invited." Asked if the tender notice was published in newspapers or who was the lowest bidder, the mayor said: "I can't remember these things. But probably, we had put up a notice at the municipal office." Gagan Chandra Bose, a former CPM chairman of Durgapur municipal corporation and lawyer, said it was "immoral" to involve a private company in property tax surveys. CPM state committee member and former Durgapur mayor Rathin Roy alleged that Axes was given the survey job bypassing rules. "We (the CPM-run board) had conducted the survey six years ago with employees of the corporation and the valuation board. If a civic body engages a private company, a tender has to be floated. The issues have to be discussed at civic board meetings," Roy said. Asked if hiring a private agency for the survey was immoral, mayor Mukherjee said: "We did nothing illegal. We don't need to learn morality from the CPM." http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130503/jsp/bengal/story_16853281.jsp#.UYPMsaKBlA0