On Thursday, teams from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) conducted raids at 30 locations, including three properties associated with former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik in Delhi, Gurugram, and Uttar Pradesh’s Baghpat. The raids are part of the CBI’s investigation into alleged corruption related to the awarding of a contract for a hydel project in the Union Territory.
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Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik in Delhi
The coordinated raids spanned eight States/Union Territories: Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Mumbai, Bihar, and Rajasthan. In addition to Malik’s properties, locations linked to his associates, including IAS officer Naveen Choudhary, the former chairman of CVPPPL (Central Valley Power Projects Private Limited) MD MS Babu, and Directors M K Mittal and Arun Mishra, were also targeted, according to a reliable source.
Last year, CBI questioned Malik after registering cases in April 2022 regarding purported irregularities in two projects in Jammu and Kashmir during his tenure as Governor. The cases involved allegations of malpractices in the award of contracts for the J&K Employees Health Care Insurance Scheme and the Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project, totaling approximately Rs 2,260 crore. (Satya Pal Malik)
The CBI official stated, “CBI had registered two separate cases on the request from Jammu & Kashmir Government on the allegations of malpractices in award of contract of J&K Employees Health Care Insurance Scheme to a private company & release of Rs 60 crore (approximately) in the year 2017-18 and award of the contract worth Rs 2,200 crore of civil works of Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project (HEP) to a private firm in the year 2019. So far, he was examined in the case as a witness in the cases.” (Satya Pal Malik)
In October 2021, Malik claimed he was offered Rs 300 crore in bribes to clear two files, including one related to a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) leader. The CBI registered two cases based on these allegations, which led to searches at 14 locations involving Anil Ambani’s Reliance General Insurance Company (RGIC) and officials of Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt Ltd (CVPPPL).
J&K Lieutenant General Manoj Sinha acknowledged the seriousness of Malik’s allegations, prompting the administration to transfer the case’s investigation to the CBI. The CBI FIR related to the Kiru Hydel Project pointed out non-compliance with e-tendering guidelines and irregularities in awarding the contract. (Satya Pal Malik)
The Kiru Hydel Project, with an estimated cost of Rs 4,287 crore, faced accusations of sub-standard work and a failure to provide employment to local youth. The ACB probe highlighted deviations in the tendering process, leading to the awarding of the contract to M/s Patel Engineering. (Satya Pal Malik)
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