Dehradun : Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami of Uttarakhand has promptly suspended a senior officer from the Home Guards department amid allegations of significant financial irregularities in uniform procurement.
The action targets Amitabh Srivastava, who serves as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) and Deputy Commandant General (DCG) of Home Guards and Civil Defence. The suspension stems from his alleged role in a case involving the purchase of uniforms at grossly inflated prices during the financial year 2024–25.
According to officials, uniforms valued at roughly ₹1 crore in market terms were procured at a cost of approximately ₹3 crore, resulting in an estimated loss of ₹2 crore to the state exchequer. The irregularities surfaced when Director General (DG) of Home Guards PVK Prasad reviewed a new tender floated for the 2025–26 period, which carried the same exorbitant rates as the previous year’s procurement.
Alarmed by the pricing discrepancy, Prasad cancelled the tender and initiated a departmental inquiry. The investigation revealed that Srivastava had allegedly colluded with a contractor, manipulating the tender process to benefit the specific vendor and causing the substantial financial loss.
Prasad stated that the inquiry confirmed the collusion and overpricing. He subsequently forwarded a report to the state government, recommending strict disciplinary measures, registration of a criminal case against the officer, and recovery of the ₹2 crore loss.
In response, Chief Minister Dhami ordered Srivastava’s immediate suspension and established a joint inquiry committee to probe the matter further. Officials noted that the department has halted further uniform purchases via the tender route. Instead, authorities are exploring an alternative approach: providing a uniform allowance directly to Home Guard personnel, allowing them to acquire their own uniforms.
A senior government official confirmed that the chief minister’s directives followed the DG’s recommendations. Dhami emphasized the administration’s unwavering stance, stating that the state government maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption. He assured that no irregularity or corrupt practice would be tolerated at any level, with strict action guaranteed against any officer or employee found guilty.
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