Srinagar, Nov 27, KDC: The Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor has permanently blacklisted M/s LMES IT LLP and its director, Maharaj Krishan Wali, in connection with the 2020 Firemen and Firemen Drivers recruitment scam, barring them from participating in any future recruitment-related tenders in the Union Territory.
The decision, issued through Government Order No. 1540-JK(GAD) of 2025 by the General Administration Department (Vigilance), follows a multi-layered inquiry into alleged irregularities during the recruitment conducted by the Fire and Emergency Services Department.
According to the order, the government had appointed a committee in December 2022 to probe the recruitment process. The committee submitted its findings in February 2024, after which the matter was forwarded to the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). The ACB, upon verification, registered FIR No. 01/2025 at its Central Jammu Police Station earlier this year.
Investigations revealed that LMES IT LLP failed to meet mandatory technical and eligibility criteria laid out in the tender. The firm had no prior experience in large-scale recruitment for police, paramilitary or state forces—an essential requirement. It was also discovered that the company was incorporated only in November 2017, after splitting from Energy and Software Pvt Ltd, and did not qualify as a reputed recruitment vendor.
Authorities noted that LMES relied heavily on financial documents of another firm to meet the tender criteria and submitted only one balance sheet of its own. Despite being ranked L-2 in the bidding process, the firm was awarded the contract while the L-1 bidder’s case was left unresolved—pointing to procedural violations.
The government order also highlights that LMES director Maharaj Krishan Wali had previously worked with Timing Technologies Pvt Ltd, a firm whose recruitment contract had been cancelled in 2018. Despite this conflict of interest, LMES was allowed to participate and subsequently secure the Firemen recruitment contract, indicating that the vendor was extended undue favour.
Acting on the Home Department’s recommendations under Rule 151 of the General Financial Rules (GFR) 2017, the UT administration has now sanctioned the firm’s permanent blacklisting from all recruitment-related bidding processes. (KDC)
