Tale of Whistleblowers in Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) Tuesday, 26 April 2011 15:29 ravi srivastava 0 Comments 7 Share “ This case

Tale of Whistleblowers in Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL)
Tuesday, 26 April 2011 15:29 ravi srivastava
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“ This case is a glaring example that to what extent whistle blowers can be tortured , humiliated
for raising voice against rampant corruption and taught a lesson by giving an exemplary punishment
by mighty corporation and Ministry , I dont know when justice will be delivered and will it account
for miseries , hardships ,suffered in last 27 months by us and our families .” RAVI SRIVASTAV
When Some One said That India needs Heavy Changes then people ask question why?? Why when we are
growing faster and GDP growth rate is in great shape?? But only Economy will not make any Country strong,
the people make the country but when people get the suffering only because they care about Nation then
it is most shameful thing for country, country which is largest democracy, long written constitutions, laws and
freedom of speech. After having democracy, constitution, law & order & freedom and freedom of speech if
people oppressed because they take step for Nation then the need of heavy changes is not any question
but the answer.

It is story of two persons Mr. Ravi Srivastava and Mr. Ashok Singh who use their voice to oppose the wrong
happening in oil Industry HPCL for welfare of nation & people but in result they get the oppression & suffering
not by any other people but itself by our Governments .After brutal burning of Yashwant Sonawane in Malegao
by oil mafia now Government industry itself like HPCL harassed people for speaking truth. Is that we call the
right way of progress?????

Article by Himself Mr. Ravi Srivastava

( Staff Association /Oil Sector Officer association's Treasurer in HPCL)



About Ravi Srivastava

I R.P.SRIVASTAVA, 56 year old ,male Graduated in Science and Chemical Technology in the year 1975, after an stint of 1 year at Eicher Tractors and 6 years in Kansai Nerolac(erstwhile Goodlass Nerolac), I joined HPCL in 1982 as an Operations Officer in Grade ‘A’.
BACKGROUND OF ISSUE













Myself and my colleague Ashok singh were employed with HPCL and we were Oil sector officers association's Treasurer and President respectively during May 2008 we were advised by our members that one adulteration marker launched by Ministry of Petroleum and oil companies has serious irregularities in procurement , specification and implementation. An advocate collected all information through RTI and we filed a complaint before Regional director CBI Mumbai .In retaliation HPCL instantly within 4 days suspended Ashok framing in some misappropriation charges against him and unleashed a reign of terror against me by issuing a chargesheet and show cause, they removed my assistance , stopped perquisites, deducted wages ,made me sit under stairs case and finally evicted me from company accommodation

We approached CVC 3 times in june, july& August 2008 instead giving us any protection they gave an order in Nov. 08 that " we can not be given any job related protection and shall be treated as plain complainant', a PIL basis our CBI complaint was filed in june 08 and Hon. Mumbai high court in their judgment in oct 2008 ordered CBI enquiry and by Vigilance of Ministryof Petroleum . CBI finally filed a PE in April 2009 against oil company officials, marker suppliers Authentix thier Indian agents SGS and then Secretary Petroleum and our complaint was vindicated.CNN-IBN in their Breaking news on 21st sept 2009 exposed the whole scam and confirmed that the marker supplier Authentix/SGS were a black listed company abroad and marker purchased @ Rs. 13000/per ltr without ascertaining theproduct specification etc.This marker was also carcinogenic( may cause cancer in human being).

HPCL suspended me on the charge of instigating officers , from their services in Jan 09 ,while oil sector officers went on strike (HPCL was theonly company which was not on strike), and finally dismissed us in March 2009 by framing both of us in a case prior to our CBI complaint while we had protested against an irregular appointment of CEO by then chairman in a JVof HPCL namely HINCOL., our statuary appeal was rejected in oct 2009 by HPCL and confirmed removal from service, my appeals to President of India have been handed over to HPCL only against whom I am fighting this battle.I have now filed my case before Hon'ble mumbai High court and awaiting justice. CBI complaint has been established by CBI and they have confirmed it to Ministry in turn Ministry has issued advisory to Oil PSU chairmen.


“ This case is a glaring example that to what extent whistle blowers can be tortured , humiliated for raising voice against rampant corruption and taught a lesson by giving an exemplary punishment by mighty corporation and Ministry , I dont know when justice will be delivered and will it account for miseries , hardships ,suffered in last 27 months by us and our families .”



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TV9 News of 7.1.2011



Article ईमानदारी की सजा भुगत रहे हैं दो अधिकारी (Click to Open)on Hindi Media..Article focusing on issue .



I try every legal possible thing but in our country they all are just useless. I send letters to President , Petroleum Minister but nothing happened and reason is our weak system .

My Letter to President

http://www.scribd.com/full/53929573?access_key=key-14jt7fm542o5dduqvs8x



My Letter to Minister of Petroleum

http://www.scribd.com/full/53930064?access_key=key-kdut0z2jhrx09w9xg8s



At last the CVC Report on Charge sheet

http://www.scribd.com/full/53929579?access_key=key-9l81mw20bmev5euyhp9





I request to People that Please Read My Letter to President and understand the seriousness of issue.



INTRODUCTION

I R.P.SRIVASTAVA, 56 year old ,male Graduated in Science and Chemical Technology in the year 1975, after an stint of 1 year at Eicher Tractors and 6 years in Kansai Nerolac(erstwhile Goodlass Nerolac), I joined HPCL in 1982 as an Operations Officer in Grade ‘A’.

BACKGROUND

I joined HP Management Staff Association /Oil Sector Officers Association in 1995 as Treasurer and
successfully achieved several milestones under the leadership of my President Shri Ashok Singh viz. large no.of Promotions for the officers in 1995 , Salary Revision of 2000, Revision in C&B issues and host of officer’s welfare schemes etc. Privatization of HPCL/BPCL was opposed by us and finally halted permanently by Hon’ble Supreme Court orders in Sept 2003,later an attempt by then Govt. to merge HPCL with ONGC was successfully stopped by our convincing presentations

THECASE
MOP&NG , and HPCL Management were scared of our prominence and looking for an opportune situation to fix us they came across one such event on 6.5.08 , while HPCL officers questioned Management for illegally ,arbitrarily appointing one of their favorite Sanjay Grover (who had resigned from HPCL to join MRPL), 3 grades higher in HPCL as a CEO of HPCL JV HINCOL ,Association appealed the Management to review this appointment and give fair opportunity to all eligible officers. After an amicable settlement , Management backed out and Charge Sheeted me & Ashok Singh on 7.5.08. Enquiry in this case commenced on 16.7.08 and despite our strong protests on illegalities, continued till 7.11.08 I had moved Hon’ble Mumbai High court against illegalities in the conduct of Enquiry and filed a petition no. 2254 in Sept 2008 , Hon’ble Mumbai High court in their order dt 1.10.08 gave
me the liberty to approach again in case of an adverse order from HPCL Management . The DA Dir(M) did not even allow us mandatory 15 days period for replying to the Enquiry officer's report and
summoning Dir. HR & GM- HR (mktg.) as witnesses. HPCL summarily dismissed both of us on 12.3.09, my
appeal dt 27.3.09 was rejected on 15.7.09 and I was evicted from the company accommodation .Ashok Singh’s appeal was rejected on 21.09.09 and we both were removed from the company by order dt. 1.10.09.

MARKER SYSTEM
One marker system was introduced in all oil companies (IOC,BPC,HPC) from 1.10.06, and on our instructions an advocate was collecting all information through RTI about irregularities and corruption in the purchase and implementation of Marker system since Nov. 2007 ,all information’s were received on 6.5.08. This marker system was inaugurated by Hon’ble Minister Shri Murli Deora on 1.10.2006 at IOC’s Bijwasan Terminal in presence of Sh. Sajjan Kumar, Shri M.S.Srinivasan and Sh. Ashok Badhwar President of Dealers Association for checking adultration of Petrol& Diesel . In fact MOP&NG even amended the Marketing Discipline Guidelines to facilitate a private supplier to inspect Retail Outlets(Petrol Pumps)and officers had complained to us that Private company officers were extorting Money from ignorant Dealers.

Me and Ashok Singh , filed a CBI complaint on 12.5.08, , against then Secy. Petroleum &Nat. gas Sh. M.S
Srinivasan and Private suppliers M/s Authentix/SGS , furious HPCL Management in retaliation promptly
suspended Ashok Singh on 16.5.08 alleging irregularities at one Sajgaon outlet , to which he was not even remotely connected .HPCL Management even recorded in their Board notes on 29th june 2008 and 30th july 2008
that we will be fixed & penalized . We both appealed to CVC for whistle blower protection under Govt. of India’s resolution and even met Vigilance Commissioner personally to apprise him of the case on 6.6.08, 21/22.7.08 and 7.8.08 , instead getting us protected,
our miseries compounded and HPCL Management unleashed chain of atrocities on me and took a vowto finish us once and for all. Management served me 2nd charge sheet on 30.7.08 for displaying some marker related report on Association notice board on 6.6.08(that day I was in CVC's office at Delhi which has been confirmed by CVC in response to a RTI) , in fact this so called confidential Marker report was already published by a website Indianpetro.com on
21.5.08 it self .Enquiry in this case commenced on 21.11.08 and abruptly discontinued on 18.2.09BYEnquiry Officer. Since May 2008 , Management was looking for an opportunity to remove me from the company and in this process, they evicted me from my office on 15.10.08, and made to sit under stairs case , took away assistance and curtailed my benefits and even deducted the Salary . Management swiftly used OSOA strike of 7-9th Jan 2009 to fix me and implicated once again into a false charge of instigating the officers and suspended on 9.1.09. It is noteworthy that I myself had not even participated in that strike and was on duty.
Basis a news item on Marker system , which appeared in TOI of 4.6.08, a PIL No. 60 was filed in Mumbai High Court on 16.6.08 ,by a social activist Shri Simpreet Singh, Hon’ble Mumbai High Court ordered CBI enquiry in this PIL case on 23.10.08 , and the marker was abruptly discontinued by all oil companies on 31.12.08,As per news item in Indian Express dated 5.10.08 and TOI dated 16.6.09 the marker was not tamper proof and launder able by ordinary clay. It was also established by HPCL appointed R&D advisor that it was carcinogenic in nature( could cause cancer in human being), still despite court orders oil companies placed order for 3 months from ( 1.10.08-31.12.08) and marker doping was continued.CBI has already filed PE in this case on 29.4.09 against the Secy. Petroleum ,Private supplier and OMC (oil marketing company)officers.CNN-IBN in their news telecast on 21.9.09, have confirmed that supplier Authentix was already a black listed company abroad named as ( BIOCODE) and CVC has ordered CBI enquiry against erring senior Ministry officials .

Our case is a glaring example of abuse of Authority by those in power , whether beaurocrats, politician and victimization of Honest , upright and Bold officers who dared to expose corruption in High places . There is a determined effort by all powerful C&MD HPCL and its directors to circumvent laid down procedures , harass, humiliate and even sacked officers like us to demonstrate other colleagues in the Oil Industry, that they will meet the same fate , if they even dared to question Management decisions. Whatever we had complained to CBI has been vindicated.The entire action against us is in retaliation and revenge by HPCL Management for filing CBI complaint.

Respectable Madam , our life has been ruined by these Greedy , corrupt officials and leaders , you are our last hope before we exercise the options , available under the Law. As a stake holder and President of this Nation and 51% shareholder of HPCL , this company has lost more than Rs. 10000 cr. of Market capitalization because of corruption, Mismanagement and frauds of present HPCL Management.

Prayer

1. We are reinstated in HPCL with our full back wages and career progression .

2. The guilty officers are brought to book , through an impartial , fair enquiry by CBI ,as ordered byHon’ble High Court and CVC.

In Media there is coverage but the National main stream media still not interested in this matter because of the intensity of the matter and reach of government in this issues .But few reports came in media but still very much insufficient .







Video link of TV9 News on 18.9.2010

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TV9 PANEL DISCUSSION 27.1.2011 @ 7.00 PM AT THEIR STUDIO



">

IBN LOKMAT PANEL DISCUSSION ON 28.1.2011 9.50 PM

http://ibnlokmat.tv/showvideo.php?id=147582 ,http://ibnlokmat.tv/showvideo.php?id=147582

Video link of CNN IBN NEWS ON 28.01.2011 BY Sumon k chakraborti& Shoab Ahmed

http://ibnlive.in.com/news/govt-mulls-use-of-controversial-fuel-marker/141790-3.html

CNN IBN PANEL DISCUSSION ON CHANNEL WITH NARENDRA TANEJA, RPN SINGH, ANU MISHRA ON 27.1.2011 RAJ DEEP SIRDESAI
http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/141694/can-the-government-reign-in-the-oil-mafia.html





“ This case is a glaring example that to what extent whistle blowers can be tortured , humiliated for raising voice against rampant corruption and taught a lesson by giving an exemplary punishment by mighty corporation and Ministry , I dont know when justice will be delivered and will it account for miseries , hardships ,suffered in last 27 months by us and our families .”



All I just want to put a point in front of people that how our Higher Government worked and how the wrong things are happening in government sector like in Oil Industry and when people like me and Ashok Singh raised a voice then the treatment which we get from authorities is in front of you .

I demand support because there are many people in different – different industry who wants to speak up and if I succeeded and get support of people then it encourages other people to raise voice against the high profile industries and governments.



R. P. Srivastava
ravi4354@gmail.com
Blog http://raviprakash4354.blogspot.com
India Against corruption Activist and Volunteer from Navi Mumbai




“People are ignoring the truth and turn blind on things but without solving these hard issues , our country will never able to see a better future. So we have to support right people & speak openly and have to demand heavy changes because our country needs it.” Easytoact

HPCL lavishes $45,000 in gifts and perks to MPs

Titan watches, shawls, countless taxi and restaurant bills, as well as
extended stays in the country’s finest hotels. These are some of the
perks enjoyed by some of India’s MPs, courtesy Hindustan Petroleum,
the country’s second largest state-owned refiner. PETROWATCH learns
HPCL last year spent Rs21.6 lakhs ($45,000) on the MPs, most of them
members of the influential Standing Committee on Petroleum & Natural
Gas. All the expenses, seen by this report on a detailed HPCL
spreadsheet, are meticulously documented, and apparently routine. Like
on June 30 last year, when HPCL cleared a bill of Rs5.38 lakhs
($11,700) to the Taj hotel in Mumbai for visiting standing committee
members. Or for that matter, on July 5 last year, when HPCL again paid
Rs3.74 lakhs ($8100) to the Taj to cover the stay of ‘Hon’ble MPs and
Govt. Officials.’ Delhi’s five-star Ashok hotel also gets a mention,
when on April 24 last year HPCL released Rs1.49 lakh ($3200) to pay
for parliamentary hospitality. Visits to the Kerala backwaters
likewise figure in the name of parliamentary democracy. On May 24,
HPCL paid a Rs2 lakh ($4300) demand draft (transaction number:
35323310) to an unidentified ‘GM Kerala’ to spend on parliamentary
committee hospitality. Strangely, HPCL insiders tell us no ‘GM Kerala’
position exists within the company. The list goes on, from the sublime
to the ridiculous, like a Rs12,280 ($270) payment on June 14 last year
to the distinctly non-political sounding Mangalore-based Stanley
Studio & Video and Rs20,400 ($440) to the equally non-political Elite
Arts, both on behalf of undisclosed standing committee MPs. Small
amounts they might be, but they go some way in explaining why India’s
politicians and bureaucrats are loathe to privatise the state-owned
oil behemoths they control.PETROWATCH