Former Jammu & Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik is increasingly finding himself in trouble. On Thursday, the CBI raided his residence and 29 other locations linked to him. The raids were conducted in connection with corruption allegations related to the Kiru Hydropower Project.
The CBI revealed that searches were conducted in Jammu, Srinagar, Delhi, Gurugram, Mumbai, Baghpat, Noida, Patna, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Barmer, Nagpur, and Chandigarh.
The CBI claims they uncovered cash deposits, investments in fixed deposits, property investments across various cities, along with digital and documentary evidence during the raids.
A CBI team visited Malik's ancestral home in Hisawada village, Baghpat, seeking information about his properties there.
Where were the raids conducted?
The CBI team raided Malik's residences in RK Puram, Dwarka, and Asian Games Village in Delhi. They also searched his properties in Gurugram and Baghpat, including his ancestral home. The CBI opened the door, conducted videography, and relatives informed the CBI that Malik had no other property in the village.
Apart from Malik, the CBI also raided the locations of former Chairman of Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited (CVPPPL), Naveen Kumar Choudhary, and Patel Engineering Limited's officials.
Why the raids?
The extensive raids were tied to alleged corruption involving 2,200 crores INR in the Kiru Hydroelectric Power Project (HEP) on the Chenab River. The CBI registered the case on April 22, 2022, alleging that the 2,200 crore contract related to the hydroelectric project was awarded to a private company in 2019 amid irregularities.
The CBI had previously filed a case against former CVPPPL Chairman Naveen Choudhary, MS Babu, MK Mittal, Arun Kumar Mishra, and former officials of Patel Engineering Limited.
Source: aajtak
What is this project?
The Kiru Project is being developed by Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited (CVPPPL), with the Indian government's National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC) holding 51% and Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) 49% stake. The project, situated in Jammu & Kashmir's Kishtwar district on the Chenab River, is a run-of-the-river initiative that harnesses river flow energy to generate electricity.
A dam with a height of 135 meters is being constructed on the Chenab River, which will include four powerhouses, each generating 156 MW, totaling 624 MW of electricity. The project was inaugurated in February 2019 and costs 4,287 crore INR with a target completion by 2025.
What's the corruption about?
The controversy centers around a tender issued in 2019 for the project’s civil work, awarded to Patel Engineering Limited, valued at 2,200 crores INR. The FIR alleges that this tender did not adhere to guidelines.
In CVPPPL’s 47th board meeting, it was decided to cancel the tender, but in the subsequent meeting, it was re-awarded to Patel Engineering Limited.
How did Satya Pal Malik get involved?
Satya Pal Malik served as Jammu & Kashmir Governor from August 23, 2018, to October 30, 2019. He claimed he was offered a bribe of 300 crore INR to clear two files, one linked to the Kiru Project. When Malik made this claim, he was the Governor of Meghalaya. His allegation prompted the Jammu & Kashmir administration to request a CBI investigation.
This is not the first time CBI has raided Malik or his associates' locations. Last May, CBI raided the house of Malik's media advisor, Sunak Bali.
In response to Thursday’s raids, Malik wrote on X, 'I’ve been unwell and hospitalized for 3-4 days, yet dictatorial government agencies are raiding my home. My driver and assistant were also unnecessarily troubled. I’m a farmer’s son and not afraid of any of this. I stand with the farmers.'
He also stated, 'Instead of investigating those involved in corruption, they raided my home. They'll find nothing but 4-5 kurta-pajamas. The dictator tries to threaten me, but I’ll neither be scared nor will I bow.'
