Kiru Hydropower corruption case: CBI searches at premises of former governor Satya Pal Malik

The searches also covered the premises of alleged associates of Malik, former chairman of the Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited Navin Kumar Chaudhary and officials of Patel Engineering Limited, the officials said.

“I have been ill for the last 3-4 days and I am admitted to the hospital. Despite this, my house is being raided by the dictator through government agencies. My driver and my assistant are also being raided and harassed unnecessarily. I am a farmer’s son, I will not be afraid of these raids. I am with the farmers,” Malik said in a post on X.

पिछले 3-4 दिनों से मैं बिमार हूं ओर हस्पताल में भर्ती हूं। जिसके वावजूद मेरे मकान में तानाशाह द्वारा सरकारी एजेंसियों से छापे डलवाएं जा रहें हैं। मेरे ड्राईवर, मेरे साहयक के ऊपर भी छापे मारकर उनको बेवजह परेशान किया जा रहा है।
में किसान का बेटा हूं, इन छापों से घबराऊंगा नहीं। में…

— Satyapal Malik 🇮🇳 (@SatyapalmalikG) February 22, 2024

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The case 

The case pertains to alleged corruption in awarding a civil work contract related to the Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project (HEP) worth ₹2,200 crore, the officials said.

Malik, who was the governor of Jammu and Kashmir from 23 August, 2018, to 30 October, 2019, had claimed that he was offered a ₹ 300-crore bribe for clearing two files, including the one pertaining to the project.

“The case was registered on allegations of malpractices in the award of the contract worth approximately ₹ 2,200 crore of civil works of the Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project (HEP) to a private company in 2019,” the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had said earlier.

The agency has booked Chaudhary and other former officials of the Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited—MS Babu, MK Mittal and Arun Kumar Mishra—and Patel Engineering Limited.

“Though a decision was taken in the 47th board meeting of CVPPPL (Chenab Valley Power Projects (P) Ltd) 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.

The agency had conducted searches at the premises of five people in January in connection with the case.

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