Maharashtra govt to DGP: Check quality of bomb disposal suits

Following the bomb disposal suit procurement fiasco, the state government has asked the Director General of Police (DGP) to inform the companies providing the gear to get ready for inspection of the suits.

“We had asked for US-manufactured suits and we also want an inspection of the suits. But the company was reluctant to let its products inspected. We suspect that the suits are of Chinese make,” said a home department official, on the condition of anonymity.

He added that the home department has asked new DGP K Subramanyam to take a final decision in the bomb disposal suit case. The government also seems to have given one last chance to Mumbai-based trader Bimal Agarwal’s company.

“The DGP has been asked to inform the company to renew their bank guarantee and allow inspection of their products. If the firm refuses inspection of its products, then we will approach the court to recover our money. We are in the process of fixing the time limit for the company to reply,” said the official.

The government has also asked senior police officers to take all necessary precautions while going for procurement of any products. It has also made it mandatory to do a background check of the companies, sources said.

“We have learned from our past mistakes. Hence, it would be mandatory to make background checks of companies who would be bidding for the tenders. Also the background check of the cost of products will be made,” an official said.

After the 26/11 attack, the police had placed order for 82 bomb disposal suits. Later there was an issue with this procurement after the police asked the company to inspect their suits. Even though the police did not receive a single suit till date, a payment of Rs6.25crore was made by the office of the DGP to Agarwal on March 31, 2009. The Anti-Corruption Bureau is making inquiries as to how the payment was made.