The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) launched a wide-scale operation on Thursday, conducting searches at the premises of former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik and 29 other locations. The searches were part of an investigation into alleged corruption linked to the Rs 2,200-crore Kiru Hydropower project, according to officials.
Multi-city operation
Around 100 officers were mobilised by the federal agency for the operation, targeting 30 locations across multiple cities in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Rajasthan, in addition to Delhi and Mumbai.
Premises targeted
Premises associated with Malik, located in R K Puram, Dwarka, and Asian Games Village in Delhi, as well as in Gurugram and Baghpat, were among those searched during the operation. The raids also covered the premises of alleged associates of Malik, including former chairman of Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited, Navin Kumar Chaudhary, and officials of Patel Engineering Limited.
Malik's response
Reacting to the raids, Malik, who is currently hospitalised, denounced the action in a social media post, accusing the government of orchestrating the raids despite his ill health. He affirmed his resolve not to be intimidated by the raids and expressed solidarity with farmers.
"I have been ill for the last 3-4 days and am admitted to the hospital. Despite this, my house is being raided by the dictator through government agencies. My driver and my assistant are also being raided and harassed unnecessarily. I am a farmer's son, I will not be afraid of these raids. I am with the farmers," Malik said in a post on X.
The allegations
The case under scrutiny pertains to suspected corruption in awarding a civil-work contract related to the Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project (HEP) worth Rs 2,200 crore. Malik had earlier alleged that he was offered a bribe of Rs 300 crore for clearing files, including one pertaining to the project.
FIR details
According to the FIR, malpractices were allegedly involved in awarding the contract to Patel Engineering Limited, despite a decision made in the 47th board meeting of CVPPPL for re-tendering through e-tendering with a reverse auction. The FIR highlighted deviations from decisions taken during board meetings of CVPPPL regarding re-tendering through e-tendering with reverse auction. Despite a resolution in the 47th board meeting for re-tendering, subsequent decisions were purportedly not implemented, leading to the tender being awarded to Patel Engineering Ltd, as alleged in the FIR.
Continued investigation
The CBI had previously conducted searches at the premises of five individuals in January in connection with the case, as the agency intensified its efforts to unravel the alleged corruption scandal.
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