In ICU and Unconscious, Former J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik Among 6 Charged by CBI in Kiru Hydel Case
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday, May 22, filed a chargesheet against former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik and five others in connection with the Kiru Hydro Electric Project case, news agency PTI reported. The agency submitted its findings to a special court after a three-year probe.
This chargesheet follows CBI raids on February 22 this year at Malik’s house and other properties.
Apart from Malik, Navin Kumar Choudhary, then chairman of Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited (CVPPPL); officials including M.S. Babu, M.K. Mittal and Arun Kumar Mishra; and the construction firm Patel Engineering Limited, were also named.
The case involves alleged malpractices in awarding a private company the Rs 2,200 crore contract for civil works of the hydel project in J&K’s Kishtwar district in 2019. According to the CBI's first information report (FIR) in 2022, a decision by the CVPPPL board to re-tender the project was allegedly not implemented, and the contract was awarded to Patel Engineering Limited.
Ironically, Malik himself, when he was the governor of Jammu and Kashmir (August 23, 2018 – October 30, 2019), had claimed he was offered a Rs 300 crore bribe to clear two files, one for this project. After a CBI search operation last year, he denied allegations of corruption against him.
Meanwhile, Malik is critically ill and began dialysis Wednesday.
His personal manager, KS Rana, told The Wire: “Mr. Malik has been admitted to Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital on May 11. He is unable to pass urine and gas and a culture test taken on May 14 confirmed a severe urine infection and kidney malfunction. Since yesterday, the situation has worsened with his kidneys now not functioning at all. He is currently admitted in the ICU and is in an unconscious state fighting for his life.”
Following the February raids, Malik had stated he is “a farmer’s son and will not be scared by the raids.”
He also tweeted in Hindi: “I had complained against people accused of corruption. But CBI raided my house instead of searching them. You will not get anything from my house except my 4-5 kurta pyjamas. The dictator is trying to scare me by misusing government agencies. I am a farmer’s son, I won’t be scared and bow down.”
The CBI had also searched the premises of five other individuals in January in connection with this case.
There are allegations that Malik is being targeted for his criticism of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as well as Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
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