Sacked oil PSU officer gets job back after he withdraws plea against Deora

The Chief Regional Manager of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd,expelled for allegedly siphoning off over Rs 1.5 crore....

The Chief Regional Manager of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd,expelled for allegedly siphoning off over Rs 1.5 crore,has been rehabilitated after he withdrew a petition against the HPCL top brass,the Central Vigilance Commissioner and Union Petroleum Minister Murli Deora.

In the petition,filed in the Mumbai High Court on April 20,2009,Ashok Singh had alleged that the Rs-200 crore marker scam happened on the personal instructions given by (then) Petroleum Secretary M S Srinivasan at the behest and upon instructions of (Deora). Calling himself a whistleblower,Singh accused the CVC of not protecting his job.

The marker scam refers to the selection of UK-based Authentix to detect adulteration of kerosene in petrol and diesel. The marker was found to be ineffective and the CBI is probing the firms selection without trials and public bidding. The contract was awarded in March 2006 when Deora was the Minister and the CBI registered a preliminary enquiry in the case in April this year.

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Ironically,Singh complained to the CBI alleging irregularities in the purchase of the marker on May 12,2008,just three days after he was indicted by the Chief Vigilance Officer of HPCL for allegedly siphoning of Rs 1.55 crore.

The charges against Singh include falsifying and manipulating records and readings,not depositing sales receipts as per norms,and misappropriation of funds. Singh,a former president of Oil Sector Officers Association,was expelled on March 12,2009.

Just over three months later,on June 29,Singh withdrew his petition.

The petitioner states that he does not wish to proceed with the writ petition and wishes to withdraw the said writ petition, he signed,and on July 2,told the judge there was no pressure on him to withdraw the case.

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Thereafter,the Petroleum Ministry contacted chairmen of state-run oil companies including Singhs former employer HPCL to give a job to Singh. After HPCL refused,ONGC chairman R S Sharma was persuaded to place Singh at Mangalore SEZ Ltd,a joint venture where ONGC is the key promoter.

And Singh joined as Additional General Manager (Mechanical) at MSEZ Ltd on October 26.

Asked why he withdrew the petition,Singh told The Indian Express: He (Deora) made a commitment that I will be reinstated in HPCL because he realized that whatever has been done by HPCL (to me) is totally illegal.

Singh wants more. I have conveyed to Deoraji that it (the Mangalore SEZ job) is not acceptable…Either I am reinstated in HPCL as Deputy General Manager on promotion and with all consideration or I have to be appointed as CEO of some company, he said.

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When asked about Singhs re-instatement,Deora said: I didnt get him the job…Whoever comes to me I help him. Any leader will ask his officials to look into a grievance. ONGC Chairman Sharma declined to comment.