On Ex Guv’s graft allegation, CBI carry series of raids in J&K
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday carried out pan- India raids to probe the malpractices in the allotment of Rs.2200 crore civil works contract of Kiru hydroelectric project to Patel Engineering Limited by the Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited (CVPPPL) in 2019.
Official sources said that the CBI has registered two FIRs in connection with corruption allegations leveled by former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik in the awarding of contracts for group medical insurance scheme for government employees and work related to Kiru hydroelectric power project in the erstwhile state.
The CBI after registering the FIRs carried out searches on Thursday morning at 14 locations in Jammu, Srinagar, Delhi, Mumbai, Noida, Trivandrum in Kerala and Darbhanga in Bihar to probe allegations of malpractices in allotment of civil works contract of Kiru power project, they said.
The searches were carried out by the sleuths of CBI at residences of accused including Navin Choudhary, who was then chairman CVPPPL, and others named in the FIR.
The CBI has registered FIR against Choudhary, MS Babu (then managing director CVPPPL), Arun Kumar Mishra(then director CVPPPL), Patel Engineering Limited and unknown others after J&K government recommended an inquiry into it.
Based on reports of the Anti-Corruption Bureau and J&K’s Power Development Department, the J&K government last month wrote to the CBI to probe allegations of malpractices in allotment of the contract.
The perusal of these reports reveals that guidelines regarding e-tendering were not followed while awarding civil works package of Kiru hydroelectric project.
In the 47th Board of Directors (BOD) meeting of CVPPL it was decided to re-tender works through e-tendering with reverse auction after cancellation of ongoing tendering.
But in the 48th meeting, the decision was not implemented and the contract was awarded to Patel Engineering Limited.
After allegations of irregularities surfaced, the scheme, which was supposed to come into operation in October 1, 2018, was scrapped, they said.
In the scheme which was initially signed up with RGIC for one year, the employees and pensioners would have got Rs.6 lakh cover for themselves and five dependent family members by paying an annual premium of Rs.8,777 and Rs.22,229 for employees and pensioners, respectively.
In its FIR pertaining to alleged malpractices in the award of contract for civil works package of Kiru Hydroelectric power project, the CBI said guidelines related to e-tendering were not followed.
The agency has booked Navin Kumar Chaudhary, former chairman of Chenab Valley Power Projects (P) Ltd, M S Babu, former MD, M K Mittal and Arun Kumar Mishra, former directors and Patel Engineering Ltd.
“Though a decision was taken in 47th Board meeting of CVPPPL (Chenab Valley Power Projects (P) Ltd) for re-tender through e-tendering with reverse auction after cancellation of ongoing tendering process, same was not implemented (as per decision taken in 48th board meeting) and tender was finally awarded to Patel Engineering Ltd,” the FIR alleged.
In a sensational claim, Malik, who was the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir between August 23, 2018 and October 30, 2019 had claimed that he was offered a Rs.300 crore bribe for clearing two files.
After going to Kashmir, two files came to me (for clearance), one belonging to Ambani and another to an RSS-affiliated man who was a minister in the previous Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP-BJP coalition government and claimed to be very close to the prime minister, he had said.
“I was informed by secretaries in both the departments that there is a scandal and I accordingly cancelled both the deals. The secretaries told me that ‘you will get Rs.150 crore each for clearing the files’ but I told them that I have come with five kurta-pyjamas and will leave with that only,” Malik had told a gathering at an event in Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan in October last year.
