Nanki Ram Kanwar Writes to PM Seeking Central Probe into PWD Chief Engineer
New Delhi: Senior tribal leader and former Home Minister of Chhattisgarh Nanki Ram Kanwar has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Arun Sao seeking a fair investigation by a central agency into serious allegations against PWD Chief Engineer Vijay Kumar Bhatpahari.
In his detailed letter, Kanwar alleged that Bhatpahari, during his tenure in various positions within the department, bypassed rules to favor select contractors, allegedly engaged in commission practices, and accumulated disproportionate movable and immovable assets in the names of relatives and benami entities.
Kanwar further stated that cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act and relevant sections of the IPC were registered against the officer by the State Economic Offences Wing and Anti-Corruption Bureau in 2011 and 2015. However, he alleged that due to political influence, no concrete action was taken and the files remain pending.
The letter also highlights alleged financial irregularities in the construction of the Manpur–Sambalpur road in Rajnandgaon division. According to Kanwar, payments of nearly ₹10 crore were made against an administrative approval of approximately ₹6.95 crore. He claimed that an inquiry by the Chief Technical Examiner (Vigilance) reportedly found excess expenditure and serious record-related irregularities. Despite this, no strict action has been taken against the concerned official, raising serious questions.
Similarly, in the Bilaspur division, Kanwar alleged that a previously terminated contract was revived, and undue benefits amounting to lakhs of rupees were granted to a contractor through penalty-free time extensions and escalation approvals, causing financial loss to the government.
Kanwar also alleged that during the promotion process, pending complaints and serious charges were not fully disclosed before the commission, leading to dissatisfaction and mistrust among other engineers in the department. He stated that if officials facing such grave allegations continue to rise to higher positions, it raises concerns not just about an individual but about the transparency of the administrative system as a whole.
He has demanded that the concerned officer be removed from the post and that pending cases be investigated impartially by a central agency. If the allegations are proven, he has sought recovery of the financial losses caused to the state.
The issue, Kanwar emphasized, is not limited to allegations against a single officer but concerns the credibility of the Public Works Department, whose reputation is directly linked to the quality of roads, bridges and infrastructure projects. All eyes are now on the government’s response—whether it treats the matter as a political controversy or initiates a transparent and time-bound probe to establish the truth.