A day after businessline exposed alleged “administrative lapses” of Unnat P Pandit, Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), in purchase of 1,200 personal computers for offices spread across the country at an inflated cost of ₹9,99,75,600, the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) said that his “position will be examined and further action will be taken accordingly”.
The story – headlined, “Patents Controller General Indicted in Computer Scam” – questioned why Unnat P Pandit continued to remain the CGPDTM despite an inquiry committee constituted by the Union Commerce and Industry Ministry held him accountable for the alleged irregularities in acquisition of computers in its report of March 5. Pandit gave a go-ahead to a tender with single effective bid in July, last year, and without taking the consent of Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal as the rules prescribe.
Reacting to the story, an official from the DPIIT, which comes under the Ministry, said, “In the transaction, there are procedural irregularities and violation of delegation of financial powers. There were other technical aspects that were also noticed in the matter.”
The DPIIT official confirmed the news report and stated that “it was noted that CGPTDM Unnat Pandit gave a go ahead to a tender with a single effective bid in July last year without the consent of CIM (Commerce and Industry Minister) as prescribed by the rules, for procurement of 1200 personal computers for offices across the country at a cost of ₹9,99,75,600”
The Ministry has issued a show cause notice to Pandit, the DPIIT official remarked, seconding the reportage. “Position will be examined and further action will be taken accordingly,” he assured.
However, Pandit refused to share his response to a detailed questionnaire this newspaper mailed to him on his official email ID before going to press with the reportage on Thursday. He did not take calls or respond to messages on his mobile phone and landline phone at his Mumbai office.