The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has made arrests in connection with its money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in the tendering process of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), according to official sources on Thursday.
Retired chief engineer Jagdish Kumar Arora and contractor Anil Kumar Aggarwal have been taken into custody under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
About the cases
The ED's probe involves two distinct cases of irregularities in the DJB's tendering process, with the criminal case originating from an FIR filed by the CBI and the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government.
The CBI's FIR alleges that DJB officials provided "undue advantage" to NKG Infrastructure Limited when awarding a tender for the supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of electro-magnetic flow meters, in collaboration with officials of NBCC (India) Limited.
The second allegation, stemming from the ACB complaint in November 2022, states that DJB awarded a tender for the establishment of automotive bill payment collection machines (kiosks) in various offices to facilitate consumers in bill payment. The ED had conducted raids in connection with this case in July last year.
ED issues fresh summons to Kejriwal
Meanwhile, the ED issued a fresh and fifth summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his questioning in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case. He has been asked to appear before the probe agency on February 2.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor had skipped four earlier summons issued by the federal agency over the last four months. The 55-year-old politician was called on earlier dates like January 18 and January 3 and December 21 and November 2 in 2023. However, he has always called these notices "illegal".
Notably, Kejriwal's name has been mentioned multiple times in charge sheets filed by the ED in the case. The agency has said that the accused were in touch with him regarding the preparation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
(With PTI inputs)
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