Kiru Hydropower Project case: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik and seven others in the Rs 2,200 crore Kiru Hydropower Project corruption case. The chargesheet has been filed by a special CBI court in Jammu, and action has been taken based on a three-year investigation on the alleged irregularities in sanctioning civil works contract for the project in 2019.

The agency has also booked Malik along with his two aides, Kanwar Singh Rana and Virendra Rana. Senior officials of Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt Ltd (CVPPPL), including ex-managing director MS Babu and directors Arun Kumar Mishra and MK Mittal, have also been charged. Other names included in the list are private individual Kanwaljeet Singh Duggal and Rupen Patel, managing director of Patel Engineering Ltd.

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All about the Kiru Hydropower Project corruption case

As per the CBI’s FIR, the CVPPPL board has initially resolved to cancel the existing tender and to invite fresh bids through an e-tendering process with a reverse auction in its 47th meeting. However, the decision was cancelled in the subsequent board meeting, and the contract was ultimately allotted to Patel Engineering Ltd. This move raised red flags over transparency and violation of procedures.

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The CBI has invoked Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the Ranbir Penal Code and provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act. These legal provisions were in place when the alleged offences took place. It has been reported that it was conducted before the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019.

Soon after the charge sheet was made, a photo of the 79-year-old Malik on a hospital bed was shared on his official X account with a post mentioning, ”My condition is very bad right now…I am not in a position to talk.” His private secretary also confirmed that he has been on dialysis at Delhi’s RML Hospital since May 11 because of a severe infection.

Rana has termed the CBI action as ”sheer harassment”, particularly because of Mallik’s earlier role as the whistleblower. ”Instead of investigating the real culprits, the agency is targeting the complainant,” he stated. On the other hand, Malik has earlier alleged that he was offered a Rs 300 crore bribe to clear the files related to the project, a claim, as per him, was ignored by the CBI officials. 

(With inputs from PTI)