Kiru hydropower corruption case: CBI files chargesheet against ex-guv Satyapal Malik, 7 others
New Delhi (PTI): The CBI has filed a chargesheet against former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satyapal Malik and seven others in connection with alleged corruption in the award of Rs 2,200-crore civil works for Kiru hydropower project, officials said Thursday.
After three years of probe, the central agency submitted its findings in the chargesheet before a special court in Jammu.
In its chargesheet, the CBI has named Malik and his two aides Virender Rana and Kanwar Singh Rana, the officials said.
The other persons named in the chargesheet included the then Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt Ltd (CVPPPL) managing director M S Babu, its directors Arun Kumar Mishra and M K Mittal, managing director of construction firm Patel Engineering Ltd Rupen Patel and private person Kanwaljeet Singh Duggal, they said.
The agency has invoked Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of Ranbir Penal Code and provisions of J&K Prevention of Corruption Act as the alleged crime took place before abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019 when these archaic legal provisions in erstwhile state were replaced by Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act.
Soon after the news of the chargesheet flashed, a photo of 79-year-old Malik was posted on his 'X' handle showing him lying in a hospital bed surrounded by an array of medical apparatus, including an intravenous infusion device and a ventilatory support system.
"I am getting calls from many of my well-wishers which I am unable to take. My condition is very bad right now. I am admitted in the hospital and am not in a condition to talk to anyone," the accompanying message read on 'X'.
When contacted, his private secretary Kanwar Singh Rana told PTI that the former governor is in critical condition in Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here.
"He is in RML Nursing Home since May 11 suffering from an infection. For the last three days he is on dialysis and in serious condition," Rana said.
He said the move of the CBI to chargesheet the "complainant (Malik)" is "sheer harassment".
"Last year also when he (Malik) was admitted in Max hospital, the CBI had conducted searches and now when he is admitted in hospital they have filed chargesheet against him. We (Rana and Malik) had told the CBI that we had nothing to do with any corruption," Rana said.
The CBI had conducted searches at the premises of Malik and others in connection with the case in February last year.
The case pertains to the alleged malpractices in the award of the contract worth about Rs 2,200 crore of civil works of the Kiru Hydro Electric Power (HEP) Project to a private company in 2019, the CBI had said after the registration of the FIR in 2022.
Malik, who was the governor of Jammu and Kashmir from August 23, 2018 to October 30, 2019, had claimed that he was offered a Rs 300-crore bribe for clearing two files, including the one pertaining to the project.
He had denied allegations of corruption against him after the agency conducted search operation last year.
Malik said his residence was raided by the CBI instead of investigating the people he had complained about and who were involved in corruption.
"They will not get anything except 4-5 kurtas and pyjamas. The dictator is trying to scare me by misusing government agencies. I am a farmer's son, I will neither be afraid nor bow down," he had posted online.
The central agency had filed the FIR against Navin Kumar Choudhary, the then chairman of the Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited (CVPPPL), and other officials Babu, Mittal and Mishra, besides construction firm Patel Engineering Limited.
“Though a decision was taken in the 47th board meeting of CVPPPL for re-tender through e-tendering with a reverse auction after the cancellation of the ongoing tendering process, the same was not implemented (according to the decision taken in the 48th board meeting) and the tender was finally awarded to Patel Engineering Limited,” the FIR has alleged.
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MP boat tragedy: Death toll rises to 10 with recovery of one more body; 3 tourists still missing
Jabalpur (PTI): The body of a child was retrieved on Saturday evening from Bargi Dam in Jabalpur district of Madhya Pradesh, raising the death toll in the cruise boat tragedy that took place two days ago to ten, while search continued for three missing tourists.
The boat, operated by the state tourism department, capsized during a storm on Thursday evening with some of the survivors alleging negligence and safety lapses such as life jackets not being distributed in time.
The body recovered on Saturday evening was possibly that of six-year-old Viraj Soni, said Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Anjul Ayank Mishra.
"The identity will be confirmed after family members identify the body," he told PTI.
Kamraj, an employee of the Ordnance Factory at Khamaria, his five-year-old son Tamil, and another child Mayuram (5) who had come from southern India were still missing.
Authorities have arranged equipment to search deep waters of the dam and are getting a generator to facilitate diving operations, Mishra added.
Divers and disaster response teams have expanded the search radius to five km, he said.
Of the 41 identified passengers on board the ill-fated vessel, 28 were rescued, police said.
More than 200 rescuers, including around 20 Army divers airlifted from Agra, joined the search operation that resumed at 5 on Saturday morning. The operation, involving the National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force and local divers, was briefly affected at around 9 am due to strong winds, officials said.
Post-mortem examinations of nine deceased persons have been completed, Mishra said.
"Our priority is to search for the missing persons. We will also register a First Information Report in the case soon," he said.
Police said CCTV footage near the boarding point showed 43 people heading towards the boat while the identities of 41 passengers have been confirmed so far.
The state government on Friday ordered a probe into the tragedy and dismissed three crew members. It also banned operation of similar vessels in the state.
