NEW DELHI: The Delhi government‘s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has registered a case against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former public works department (PWD) minister Satyendra Jain over alleged corruption in a Rs 571 crore CCTV project, officials confirmed on Wednesday.
As per ANI, the case revolves around claims that Jain waived liquidated damages worth Rs 16 crore imposed on Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for delays in installing CCTV cameras across Delhi.
In exchange, he allegedly accepted a bribe of Rs 7 crore through contractors who benefited from additional orders.
An FIR was filed under Sections 7 and 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 120B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) after obtaining approval under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act from the competent authority.
Joint commissioner of police (ACB) Madhur Verma said, “Bribery of Rs 7 crore was allegedly arranged to be paid to Satyendra Jain to waive off the Rs 16 crore penalty for delays in CCTV installation.”
Despite repeated delays, BEL was awarded further contracts for an additional 1.4 lakh CCTV cameras, raising concerns over the project’s execution.
BJP’s reaction
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva strongly criticised the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), alleging that former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and former minister Satyendra Jain were the “masterminds” behind the alleged scam.
Sachdeva said that the BJP had earlier flagged the issue, leading to a vigilance probe that found Jain guilty in 2023. However, he accused Kejriwal of halting the file to shield Jain.
With the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) now filing an FIR, Sachdeva asserted that Kejriwal’s role would also come under scrutiny.
Officials claim that the work was carried out in a “shoddy manner,” with many cameras found to be non-functional even at the time of project handover. Payments were allegedly inflated to accommodate bribes involving multiple vendors, ANI reported.
The ACB has already questioned a BEL officer, who reportedly confirmed the allegations and provided a detailed complaint. Documents from PWD and BEL are being scrutinised for further evidence.
Over a month ago, the Union ministry of home affairs (MHA) sought the President’s approval to prosecute Jain under Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, ANI reported, citing sources.
The request was reportedly based on evidence collected by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), which allegedly provided sufficient grounds for legal action.