AAP leader and former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain and five others were arrested on Tuesday evening over alleged corruption in connection with a tendering process in Delhi Jal Board.
The FIR was lodged on May 11, 2024 over large-scale irregularities in a tender called for upgrading the sewage treatment plants under the Delhi Jal Board. The complaint by the Directorate of Vigilance also alleges manipulation of tender conditions and criminal conspiracy.
Jain was the minister of water when the alleged scam occurred. Others who were arrested include Delhi Jal Board CEO Udit Prakash Rai, DJB's former contractual consultant Ankit Srivastava, AN Enterprises proprietor Nagendra Yadav, Euroteck Environment Pvt Ltd owner Raja Kumar Kurra and Srijanhar proprietor Pankaj Verma.
The accused have been charged under Prevention of Corruption Act Sections 7, 7A, 9 and 13 as well as IPC Sectionss 420, 409, 418 and 120-B.
The tendering conditions had allegedly favoured Euroteck Environment Pvt Ltd, giving it an undue advantage and resulting in major financial implications for the government exchequer.
The board skipped a proposed pilot study and excluded essential parameters for treated effluent besides including restrictive conditions on technology or media to be used, according to the Anti-Corruption Branch of Delhi (ACB).
A probe by ACB revealed electronic communication between public servants, private entities and intermediaries in connection with tender conditions, which were later added in the Jal Board's tender notice.
The ACB also tracked a money trail in the form of bribes or commission via intermediaries like Srijanhar and AN Enterprises. Around ₹1.52 crore was eventually transferred to the bank accounts of former DJB CEO Udit Prakash Rai and his kin from AN Enterprises, alleged the agency. This money was allegedly used to buy immovable property, according to ACB.
