‘Deep conspiracy and corrupt practice’: Why Thar Jeeps are under the scanner in Odisha

ODisha timber and surround government minister ganapati pound Singh Khuntia has ordered a special audit into alleged irregularities in the purchase and customisation of 51 Mahindra Thar vehicles worth Rs12.02 crore, a move that has turned the issue into a political flashpoint in the state.The controversy centres on the Odisha Forest Department’s purchase of 51 Mahindra Thar SUVs for ₹7 crore, followed by an additional ₹5 crore spent on their modification, raising questions over procedure, approvals and alleged misuse of public funds.Khuntia has directed the additional chief secretary of the forest, environment and climate change department to fast-track a special audit by the accountant general (A&E), Odisha, stressing that there should be no delay in examining the matter.According to the minister, the 51 vehicles were procured for about ₹7 crore, with each unit costing around ₹14 lakh.Subsequently, an additional ₹5.02 crore was spent on renovating and modifying the vehicles, significantly pushing up the overall expenditure.Also Read | ₹12 crore">Odisha orders special audit into purchase, customisation of vehicles for over ₹12 croreWhat is the Opposition saying?The issue has drawn sharp criticism from the opposition. BJD leader Lekha Samantsinghar said, “The purchase of 51 Mahindra Thar Jeeps in Odisha at an exorbitant rate and paying crores of money for their remodification smacks of a deep conspiracy and corrupt practice by the Odisha government," she said.“It is not clear at all who ordered the purchase of the vehicles, who ordered the modification of the vehicles, or for what purpose they are going to be used... This shows that the Odisha BJP government is just finding new and innovative ways to make money, to make their ministers richer, and they are involved in scams in every department...”"Just because the BJP government is in power doesn't mean that they will create new schemes and new scams and siphon away all the money, which we can never accept... The departmental minister should issue a statement as to who is behind this very convoluted and thoughtless program and scheme... Everything must be clear to the people of Odisha.”The controversy around the Thar Jeeps intensified after the matter was raised in the Odisha Assembly in March, when opposition Biju Janata Dal member Arun Kumar Sahoo sought details of the procurement and the additional expenditure on upgrades.The modifications aimed at improving patrolling efficiency, surveillance, emergency response and firefighting in difficult forest terrain came under the spotlight amid media reports and sustained questioning in the House.Responding to the criticism earlier, Khuntia had said the upgrades were cleared based on ground-level requisitions from divisional forest officers, who cited operational requirements in inaccessible and challenging forest areas.‘Leave no stone unturned’: OfficialA senior official familiar with the development said the audit team would “leave no stone unturned” while examining whether due procedure was followed in sanctioning the substantial customisation costs, whether clearance was obtained from the finance department, and whether the 21 add-ons fitted in each vehicle were actually required or amounted to an extravagant use of public funds.“We will scrutinise whether any external agencies played a role in inflating costs. If anyone is found guilty of wrongdoing, action will be taken strictly as per rules,” the official said, indicating that disciplinary action could follow if irregularities are established.