J-K hydro-power project case: CBI conducts searches in Delhi, Jammu

The CBI has conducted searches at eight locations in Delhi and Jammu in connection with alleged corruption in awarding of civil works worth Rs 2,200 crore of the Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project, officials said on Monday.

The searches were conducted recently at the premises of Rajiv Dahiya, Surender Kumar Gupta, Saurabh Gupta, Arun Kumar and Reshi Kumar Sharma, they said.

They are suspected to have converted bribe money into white through money laundering, the officials said.

Satya Pal 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, including one pertaining to the project.

”The case was registered on allegations of malpractices in award of a contract worth approximately Rs 2,200 crore of civil works of Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project (HEP) to a private company in the year 2019,” the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had earlier said.

The agency has booked former chairman, Chenab Valley Power Projects (P) Ltd, Navin Kumar Chaudhary, and other former officials M S Babu, M K Mittal and Arun Kumar Mishra, and Patel Engineering Ltd in the case.

”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, the same was not implemented (as per decision taken in 48th board meeting) and tender was finally awarded to Patel Engineering Ltd,” it has been alleged in the FIR.