The CBI conducted searches on Thursday at the residences of former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik and 29 other locations in connection with alleged corruption in the Kiru Hydropower project, officials told PTI.
The operation began in the morning with approximately 100 officers mobilised to raid 30 locations in multiple cities, according to officials, PTI reported.
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The case revolves around alleged corruption in awarding civil works of the Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project (HEP) worth Rs 2,200 crore, officials stated.
In reaction to the ongoing raids, Malik conveyed his distress on social media platform X, stating, “I have been ill for the last three to four 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.”
He further stated that he is not afraid of these raids terming himself as a farmer’s son.
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Malik, who served as the governor of Jammu and Kashmir from August 23, 2018, to October 30, 2019, claimed that he was offered a Rs 300-crore bribe for clearing two files, including one related to the project.
“The case was registered on allegations of malpractices in the award of the contract worth approximately Rs 2,200 crore for civil works of the Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project (HEP) to a private company in 2019,” the CBI had earlier said.
The agency has pressed charges against former Chenab Valley Power Projects (P) Ltd Chairman Navin Kumar Chaudhary, along with other former officials, M S Babu, M K Mittal, and Arun Kumar Mishra, as well as Patel Engineering Ltd.
“Though a decision was taken in the 47th Board meeting of CVPPPL (Chenab Valley Power Projects (P) Ltd) for re-tender through e-tendering with reverse auction after the cancellation of the ongoing tendering process, the same was not implemented (as per the decision taken in the 48th board meeting), and the tender was finally awarded to Patel Engineering Ltd,” the FIR has alleged.
The agency had previously conducted searches at the residences of five individuals in January in connection with the case.
(With PTI Inputs)