Delhi Jal Board ‘scam’: ED files chargesheet against ex-Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain, 13 others

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a Prosecution Complaint or chargesheet against former Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain and 13 others in a Rs 17.70 crore money laundering case in connection with an alleged corruption case involving the award of four tenders related to Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).

Besides Jain, the then Water Minister of Delhi and Chairman of DJB, the prosecution complaint is filed against the then Delhi Jal Board CEO Udit Prakash Rai, former DJB member Ajay, then Delhi Jal Board Chief Engineer Satish Chandra Vashishth, and other private persons and entities under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

ED initiated an investigation on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered by Delhi’s Anti-Corruption Branch against Euroteck Environmental Pvt Ltd (EEPL) and others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, alleging a scam in DJB in the name of augmentation and upgradation of existing 10 STPs at Pappankalan and Nilothi (Package 1), Najafgarh and Keshopur (Package 2), Coronation Pillar, Narela and Rohini (Package 3), and Kondli (Package 4).

“It is revealed that Rajakumar Kurra, Managing Director of EEPL, got the terms and conditions of the DJB tender manipulated through officials of DJB and private persons Nagendra Yadav and others, making the tender restrictive to the usage of ‘IFAS technology with fixed media’ only and thereby, enabling EEPL to become the sole supplier of technology in said tender,” said the ED in a statement.

As per the findings of the investigation, ED said, Rajakumar Kurra and his associates paid illegal commission and a bribe of Rs 6.73 crore through banking channels and in cash, which is nothing but Proceeds of Crime under PMLA, 2002. “The illegal commission or bribe was paid through banking transactions by issuing bogus invoices and advances to obfuscate the payments, and also through cash by hawala channels.”

According to the financial probe agency, these acts resulted in an undue profit of Rs 9.96 crore accruing to EEPL, which is also proceeds of crime under PMLA.

ED said its investigation has concluded that Jain, Rai, Gupta (the then member), Vashishth and private persons and entities namely EEPL, Raja Kumar Kurra, Vinod Chauhan, Nagendra Yadav and other accused persons are involved in or have assisted in generation, acquisition, concealment, possession and use of total Proceeds of Crime to the tune of Rs 17.70 crore and thus committed offence of money laundering.

In this case, ED has attached movable and immovable properties amounting to Rs 15.36 crore of the various persons. (ANI)