CBI raids 15 places in Delhi, Kishtwar in Kiru Hydro Power Project kickback probe

Srinagar, Jan 29: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has conducted raids at 15 locations, including 14 in New Delhi and one in Kishtwar district of Jammu region, as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged kickbacks in the allotment of a Rs 2200 crore civil work contract for the Kiru Hydro Power Project in 2019.

Multiple teams of the CBI from Jammu, Chandigarh, and Delhi offices raided four prominent chemical firms in the Union capital, including AS Chemical Industry, Raj Chemical Industry, Kanhaiya Enterprises, and Raj Solvent, a media report said today. Additionally, the residences and offices of Directors and Accountants of these firms were searched in various locations in New Delhi.

Quoting sources, Daily Excelsior revealed that the raids resulted in the seizure of around Rs 55 lakh in cash, along with documents, electronic gadgets, and other important items. Among those targeted were individuals associated with AS Chemical Industry and Raj Chemical Industry, including Satish Gupta and his wife, as well as Anil Kumar, Director of Kanhaiya Enterprises, and Sourabh Gupta and Munish Gupta, Directors of Raj Solvent. Accountants Arun Kumar and Satish Kumar were also subjected to searches.

Simultaneously, the CBI searched the residence and office of Engineer Rishi Sharma, a Junior Engineer working on the Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project in Kishtwar district. The investigation uncovered nearly Rs 55 lakh in cash, electronic gadgets, and documents during the searches, said the report.

The CBI suspects that money trails related to the Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project led to the chemical firms, with entries from a leading company indicating potential kickbacks to prominent beneficiaries. Documents and bank entries have been collected to trace the money trail as part of the ongoing investigation.

This latest round of searches is the fifth in connection with the Kiru Hydro Power Project case, which has seen previous operations in April and July 2022, as well as May and December 2023. The case, registered on allegations of malpractices in awarding the contract, has named former officials of Chenab Valley Power Projects (Private) Limited, including Navin Kumar Chaudhary, M S Babu, M K Mittal, and Arun Kumar Mishra, along with Patel Engineering Limited.

Former J&K governor Satya Pal Malik had alleged that he was offered a Rs 300-crore bribe for clearing two files, including the one pertaining to the Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project.

The case was registered on allegations of malpractices in award of the contract worth approximately Rs 2,200 crore of civil works of Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project (HEP) to a private company in the year 2019.

The FIR alleges discrepancies in the tendering process, with a decision to re-tender through e-tendering allegedly not implemented as per board decisions, leading to the award of the contract to Patel Engineering Limited.

The investigation into the Kiru Hydro Power Project contract continues, with the CBI working diligently to uncover any instances of corruption and ensure accountability in the allocation of public funds.