The Congress continues its incremental release of documents related to the AI-enabled traffic surveillance system installed across Kerala as part of Safe Kerala project.
On Wednesday, Opposition Leader V D Satheesan released three more documents that show that tender rules were violated in a blatant fashion with the connivance of Keltron.
The first document related to an agreement inked between Keltron and the Bengaluru-based SRIT, which won the bid floated by Keltron. Under this agreement, it was decided to form a consortium of SRIT, Al Hind and Presadio."This was a violation of the clause in the tender document that specifically states that core activities should not be subcontracted," Satheesan told the media in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
Here is what the tender document states: "The subcontractor shall not be entertained for core activities like data security, data integrity, configuration of the equipment and the facility management."
Satheesan's charge is that core works like data security and configuration of the equipment were subcontracted to SRIT, a company that was not technically competent for the work. SRIT then, in a double violation, subcontracted the work to Presadio with the blessings of Keltron.
The second document released on Wednesday reveals a service agreement that SRIT had entered into with ECentric Digital Limited on March 3, 2021, seemingly without the knowledge of Keltron. By this time Al Hind was out of the picture.
As per this agreement, ECentric Digital was asked by SRIT "to procure and pay for all the technologies including electronics and non-electronics services and complete all associated vendor management towards the successful completion of the project".
Satheesan said that the March 3 agreement was struck even when the October 20, 2020, Keltron-SRIT agreement was still in force. "It was only ten days later that Keltron was informed of the new deal," Satheesan said. This communication was also released by the Opposition Leader.
As per the original October 20, 2020, agreement, Keltron reserved the right to cancel the contract if SRIT violated the conditions. "Keltron refused to act even though it was clear that SRIT had violated the terms by employing a new partner without its knowledge," Satheesan said. "This clearly suggests that Keltron aided and abetted these violations," he added.
As it stands, Satheesan said ECentric Digital had been paid Rs 66 crore inclusive of GST. "We have proof of this payment," Satheesan said, and added: "But what we want to know is whether the company was paid any other GST-inclusive bills."
Satheesan said the conspiracy began right from the start, with the Rs 235-crore estimate. "It was a fake estimate prepared with highly inflated costs," Satheesan said.
The Opposition Leader once again dared Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to respond to the charges. "We are giving you one last chance to respond," he told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
He said the charges have now entered the Chief Minister's house, a reference to the allegation that a close relative is linked to Presadio.
