The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Madhya Pradesh police has on Monday written to two State Governments, two Union Territories and 26 PSUs urging them to debar seven private firms from tendering process in future.

Besides, the High Court on Monday rejected bail pleas of three staffers of OSMO IT Solution Pvt Limited and an officer of MP State Electronic Development Corporation (MPSEDC), Nand Kumar Brahme, all arrested earlier in connection with anomalies.

During investigation, seven private firms based at Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bhopal have been found involved in rigging the e-tendering process of Madhya Pradesh government in connivance with technical experts to get various government tenders.

While talking to media persons on Monday, EOW Additional Director General KN Tiwari said, “We have written to various government departments urging them to blacklist these private firms from the tendering process in future. We have also cautioned two states, two UTs and 26 PSUs against engaging with the private firm Antares Pvt Limited which has been found involved in the e-tendering scam.”

The senior officer further added the agency has undertaken 43 more e-tenders into the probe. All these e-tenders were floated by the state government from 2016 to 2018.

Besides, Tiwari claimed that the investigative agency has also contacted two states, two union territories and 26 Public Sector Undertakings over e-tendering scam. Antares Private Limited which offered the e-tendering platform to MP government has also installed its software to all those states, UTs and PSUs.

The private firm Antares Pvt Limited also features in the FIR lodged by the EOW in connection with the multi-crore e-tendering scam.