Former Meghalaya Governor Satya Pal Malik has been questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in reference to two instances of corruption. The company had registered the instances in April relating to purported irregularities in two initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir when Malik was the Governor there.
“He was examined within the case two days in the past. Since these have been his allegations, he was requested for extra particulars. He was examined as a witness within the instances,” a CBI official mentioned.
In October 2021, Malik claimed that he was supplied Rs 300 crore in bribes to clear two recordsdata together with one associated to an RSS (Rashtriya Swayam Sevak) chief. Primarily based on this allegation, the CBI registered two instances within the matter and performed searches at 14 places in April. The company has booked Anil Ambani’s Reliance Common Insurance coverage Firm (RGIC) and officers of Chenab Valley Energy Initiatives Pvt Ltd (CVPPPL), amongst others, within the two instances.
The searched places included the premises of IAS officer Naveen Choudhary, the then chairman of Chenab Valley Energy Initiatives Pvt Ltd (CVPPPL), apart from these of MD MS Babu, administrators MK Mittal and Arun Mishra. The agency accused within the case is Patel Engineering Ltd. An FIR within the case was registered in Jammu.
A separate FIR registered in Srinagar named Anil Ambani’s Reliance Common Insurance coverage Firm and Trinity Reinsurance Brokers Ltd as accused.
“CBI had registered two separate instances on the request from Jammu & Kashmir Authorities on the allegations of malpractices (I) in award of contract of J&Okay Workers Well being Care Insurance coverage Scheme to personal firm & launch of Rs. 60 crore (approx.) within the yr 2017-18 and (II) award of the contract price Rs. 2200 crore (approx.) of civil works of Kiru Hydro Electrical Energy Undertaking (HEP) to a personal agency within the yr 2019,” the CBI had mentioned in a press release.
In March, J&Okay Lieutenant Common Manoj Sinha introduced that the allegations made by Malik have been severe and that the administration had determined handy over the probe within the case to the CBI.
“As an individual holding excessive workplace had mentioned one thing, now we have given our consent to the CBI for investigations in each the issues,” he had instructed reporters in Jammu. “And the reality will come out after the investigations,” he added.
Satya Pal Malik had levelled corruption prices in opposition to a senior RSS functionary final yr. Malik alleged that when he was Jammu and Kashmir Governor, he had acquired two recordsdata, one pertinent to “Ambani’’ and the opposite to an “RSS functionary’’. “One of many secretaries instructed me that these are shady offers, however he can get Rs 150 crore every. I instructed him that I had come to Jammu and Kashmir with 5 kurta-pajamas and would depart with that solely,” the previous governor mentioned. “I alerted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who instructed me that there must be no compromise on corruption,’’ Malik added whereas talking at an occasion at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan.
Whereas Malik didn’t say something about these recordsdata, he was referring to the federal government’s cope with Reliance Common Insurance coverage. Malik had cancelled a cope with Reliance Common Insurance coverage Firm to supply medical health insurance to authorities workers in October 2018. The opposite matter referred to civil works associated to the Kiru Hydel Energy Undertaking.
The 2 instances have been formally referred to the CBI on March 23 with the administration writing to the CBI, “There had been allegations of malpractices in awarding contract of J&Okay Authorities Workers Well being Care Insurance coverage Scheme to Reliance Common Insurance coverage Firm Ltd and awarding of contract with respect to civil works of Kiru Hydroelectric Energy challenge to a personal agency. Experiences in these issues have been sought from Finance Division and Anti Corruption Bureau. On consideration of those reviews, the competent authority within the J&Okay authorities has determined to refer these instances to CBI for investigation,” the UT (Union Territory) administration’s letter to the CBI learn.
Within the case of Reliance, the CBI FIR has mentioned that the allegations as talked about by the UT administration “prima facie disclose that unknown officers of Finance Division of Govt of J&Okay by abusing their official place in conspiracy and connivance with Trinity Reinsurance Brokers Ltd, Reliance Common Insurance coverage Firm Ltd and different unknown public servants and personal individuals have dedicated the offences of legal conspiracy and legal misconduct to trigger pecuniary benefit to themselves and brought about wrongful loss to the state exchequer throughout the interval 2017 and 2018 and thereby on this method cheated the federal government of J&Okay.”
An enquiry by the UT administration discovered that the federal government had employed Trinity as a dealer for finalising group medical health insurance for J&Okay authorities workers. Nonetheless, the tender course of initiated by Trinity noticed just one bidder, Reliance.
Notably, an investigation report submitted by J&Okay Anti-Corruption Bureau to the UT administration on February 8 relating to the matter mentioned that no case might be made out.
“…the topic verification so performed on this bureau with regard to Well being Care Insurance coverage Scheme of presidency workers stands closed as no irregularity was discovered within the matter,” the report mentioned.
Within the case of Kiru Hydel Undertaking, the CBI FIR has mentioned that an investigation had been performed by the J&Okay ACB and the ability division within the matter.
“Perusal of those reviews reveals that in award of civil works bundle of Kiru Hydroelectric Energy Undertaking, pointers relating to e-tendering weren’t adopted and although a choice was taken within the forty seventh Board Assembly of CVPPPL for re-tender by way of e-tendering with reverse public sale, after cancellation of ongoing tendering course of, identical was not applied and the tender was lastly awarded to M/s Patel Engineering,” the CBI FIR mentioned.
The challenge, whose value is estimated to be Rs 4,287 crore, has been marred by allegations of sub-standard work and its failure to supply jobs to native unemployed youth. The ACB probe into the matter had noticed that the tender for the challenge had been cancelled within the forty seventh Board Assembly of the CVPPPL, however was revived within the forty eighth Board Assembly and awarded to Patel Engineering