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29 March 2024

IAS suspends member for bribery

Published
By VM Sathish

The Indian Association Sharjah (IAS) suspended two members of its management committee after initial investigations revealed alleged corruption with regards an Indian school building project.

The suspected members have been suspended from the management committee and the primary membership of the IAS. According to initial investigations by the president, general secretary and treasurer of the IAS, it has been revealed that one of the members allegedly took commission for a school project from the project’s contractor and also allegedly threatened the latter to suspend the contract if the commission amount was not paid to him.

The former managing committee had decided to give the Dh42.9 million contract to the lowest bidder and the school building is under progress, according to President of IAS, YA Raheem; General Secretary Biju Soman and Treasurer V Narayanan Nair – who conducted the probe.

Notice has been served to him to repay Dh378,000 allegedly extracted from the contractor – that is the first instalment of the 5 per cent commission from the contracted amount, they added.

However, the suspended member, said: “I strongly deny all these allegations. I did not get any commission and it is a political conspiracy against me. I was a joint secretary in the last committee and I realized that there is an investigation about me.

I did not get any money. I came to know that I am suspended for ten days from newspaper reports. I am totally innocent and it is very clear that only one person cannot decide on awarding such a big contract.

If there is any issue with a contract, the then president, general secretary, treasure and committee members are responsible. It is a collective responsibility and an independent investigation should be conducted, not by the committee members.

The Indian Consulate should investigate the irregularities for the last five years. I am a member of the association for 30 years.”

The probe by the association also reveal that one of the committee members - who was recently elected to the body - leaked out information about the bid amount to the contractor.

The association officials claim this incident is unprecedented and a first since the association was formed in 1979.

IAS said in a press conference that the suspended member should return the commission money or will face legal proceedings.

A 17 member committee manages the IAS, Sharjah Indian School and Gulf Rose Nursery. About 10,000 students study in Sharjah Indian School and 157 new school rooms are being built in a new complex in Sajah to accommodate more students.