New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday, February 22, raided the house of former governor Satya Pal Malik in connection with the Kiru Hydropower project.
About 100 officials, according to news agency PTI, swooped down on Malik’s house and 29 other premises across multiple cities to carry out searches.
According to CBI, the case relates to alleged corruption in the awarding of civil works of the project worth Rs 2,200 crore.
Malik had served as Jammu and Kashmir’s governor between August 23, 2018, and October 30, 2019. Malik, whilst still being a governor, had claimed that he was offered Rs 300 crore in bribe to clear two files, including one pertaining to the project.
The probe agency has already booked former chairman of the 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 connection with 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, same was not implemented (as per decision taken in 48th board meeting) and tender was finally awarded to Patel Engineering Ltd,” said the FIR filed by the CBI, according to PTI.
The agency had also conducted searches earlier at the premises of five people in January in connection with the case.
There are allegations that Malik is being targeted for his criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the Centre as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
