WASHINGTON, September 19, 2018— The World Bank today announced the 15-month debarment of M/s Om Sakthi Constructions (Om Sakthi), an Indian construction services company, in connection with fraudulent practices committed during the bidding process for a highway construction contract under the World Bank-financed Second Tamil Nadu Road Sector Project in India.
The debarment makes Om Sakthi, its affiliates, and any other firm directly or indirectly controlled by Om Sakthi ineligible to participate in World Bank-financed projects. It is part of a settlement agreement under which the company acknowledges responsibility for the underlying sanctionable practices and agrees to cooperate with the World Bank Group Integrity Vice Presidency (INT).
The project was designed to improve rural accessibility in areas covering 26 districts and strengthen institutional capacity for sustainable rural road maintenance in Tamil Nadu, India. According to the facts described in the settlement agreement, Om Sakthi submitted a fraudulent certificate of past experience in its bid for a contract under the project, which is a fraudulent practice.
The debarment of Om Sakthi qualifies for cross-debarment by other multilateral development banks (MDBs) under the Agreement for Mutual Enforcement of Debarment Decisions that was signed on April 9, 2010.
