The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is conducting searches at six locations across India over the alleged graft flagged by former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik in awarding contract for Rs 2,200 crore civil work for the Kiru Hydro Power Project in Kishtwar in 2019.CBI searches at 6 locations in Kiru Hydro Power Project case in J&K
A CBI source said that the central agency carried out searches at six locations, three in Delhi and one each in Noida, Chandigarh and Shimla.
The source said that agency is searching at four premises belonging to Kanwaljit Singh Duggal, and one belonging to D.P Singh and one common premises of one company named Mainstream IT solution based in Delhi.
The source said that the fresh searches took place after their role came to the fore during its probe.
The source said that the CBI has recovered some documentary and digital evidences, which it will examine.
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.
The CBI had registered a case in April last year and carried out searches on three previous occasions on the premises linked to several officials and persons in connection with the case.
After registering the case, the CBI carried out searches at 10 locations in April last year and at 16 locations in June 2022. The CBI also carried out searches at 12 locations in May this year as part of the probe.
The agency has booked the former chairman of the Chenab Valley Power Projects (Private) Limited, Navin Kumar Chaudhary, former officials M S Babu, M K Mittal and Arun Kumar Mishra and Patel Engineering Limited.
Chaudhary is a 1994-batch Jammu and Kashmir-cadre (now AGMUT cadre) Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer.
In its First Information Report (FIR) pertaining to the alleged malpractices in awarding contract for civil works package of Kiru hydroelectric power project registered in April last year, the CBI had said guidelines related to e-tendering were not followed.
“The case was registered on allegations of malpractices in award of the 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 CBI had earlier said.
The agency has booked Navin Kumar Chaudhary, M S Babu, former MD, M K Mittal and Arun Kumar Mishra, former directors and Patel Engineering Ltd.
“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, same was not implemented (as per decision taken in 48th board meeting) and tender was finally awarded to Patel Engineering Ltd,” the FIR has alleged.
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