The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday conducted searches at more than 30 locations across eight States/union territories, including the premises of former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik, in connection with the alleged irregularities in the award of Kiru hydroelectric project civil works.
Responding to the development through his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Mr. Malik said: “I have been ill for the last 3-4 days and am admitted to hospital. Despite this, my house is being raided by the dictator through government agencies... instead of investigating the people I had complained about who were involved in corruption.”
While he was the Meghalaya Governor, Mr. Malik had alleged corruption in two J&K schemes, including the hydel project, stating that it ran to ₹300 crore. He has criticised the Modi government on several occasions, on issues ranging from the 2019 Pulwama attack to alleged corruption in Goa, where he was the Governor after being shifted out of J&K.
In BJP since 2004, he has also criticised the Centre on the farmers’ protests of 2020-21 and raised questions over the abrogation of Article 370.
Congress MP Rahul Gandhi, in a post on X targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said: “...If the former Governor tells the truth, then send CBI to his house — this is the Mother of Democracy?...”
Thursday’s searches were carried out in Jammu, Srinagar, Delhi, Gurugram, Mumbai, Baghpat, Noida, Patna, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Barmer, Nagaur and Chandigarh. “...evidence of huge cash deposits, investment in fixed deposits, investment in properties in various cities, digital and documentary evidence, etc. have been found,” said an agency official, adding that the premises of some chartered accountants were also covered.
Case registered in 2022
The CBI registered the case on April 20, 2022, following a reference from the Jammu and Kashmir government. Among those named were Navin Kumar Choudhary, an IAS officer, as the then chairman of CVPPPL; its then managing director M.S. Babu, directors M.K. Mittal and Arun Kumar Mishra, and Patel Engineering. The official said Mr. Choudhary’s premises were also searched on Thursday.
The charges of irregularities in the award of civil works worth ₹2,200 crore pertain to the project being executed by the Chenab Valley Power Projects (P) Limited. (CVPPPL). As alleged, in the 47th board meeting of CVPPPL, a decision had been taken for re-tender through e-tendering with reverse auction, after the cancellation of the then ongoing tendering process.
However, the agency has alleged the decision was reversed in the 48th board meeting. The contract was awarded to Patel Engineering in 2019.
