Daman and Diu MP moves SC seeking SIT probe into allegations of financial irregularities for renovation of Secretariat building

New Delhi [India], September 5 (ANI): Daman and Diu's Lok Sabha MP approached the Supreme Court seeking a Special Investigating Team (SIT) probe into the allegations of financial irregularities in the handling of funds for the Daman Secretariat building by the officials of the Union Territory.
Lok Sabha MP Umeshbhai Babubhai Patel urged the apex court to monitor the SIT investigation and also sought to direct the Centre to register an FIR regarding the allegations. The petition, filed on Thursday, claimed that financial irregularities were committed by the official of the Administration of Daman and Diu in the renovation, demolition and restoration of the Union Territory Secretariat Building at Daman.
The plea said that a tender was floated in October 2020 for the renovation of the Daman Secretariat with an estimated cost of Rs 23.34 crores. A subsequent tender was issued in September 2022 to demolish the front side of the same building for around 3.80 lakh. In 2023, another tender was issued for the restoration and renovation of the same building, with an estimated cost of Rs 12.58 crores.
The petitioner filed a complaint with the Lokpal of India for the misuse of public money allegedly by Praful Khoda Patel, Administrator of the UT, Gaurav Singh Rajawat, Finance Secretary of UT and Saurabh Mishra, Collector, Daman.
The Lokpal ordered the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a preliminary inquiry regarding allegations of financial irregularities in the handling of said funds.
After the CBI submitted the report, the Lokpal, on August 21, 2025, dropped the action against the public servant named in the complaint but agreed that there had been a financial loss suffered by the public exchequer in the process, according to the plea.
"In this circumstance the government of India needs to make an immediate independent transparent investigation into the financial loss suffered by the public exchequer in the process of renovation, demolition and restoration of the Secretariat Building at Moti Daman. Three tenders were issued by the executive engineer within a short span of 3 years from 2020 to 2023 for the renovation, demolition and restoration of the Secretariat Building at Moti Daman and the final exercise resulted in restoration of the building as it existed at the end of the first exercise, resulting in the financial loss of public exchequer," the plea stated.
The financial losses suffered by the public exchequer impact the interests of the citizens of the country, the plea said, adding that the misuse of public money is against the basic principles of governance, as the second and third tenders did not add any value to the secretariat building.
Actions of the officials of the administration are in violation of the fundamental principles of public accountability and good governance, the plea added.
Central government, Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Secretariat, Moti Daman and Central Bureau of Investigation were made parties in the case. (ANI)