The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has registered a case against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and former Delhi ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain in connection with a massive alleged corruption scandal involving the construction of classrooms in government schools across the capital.
According to the ACB, the scam, pegged at around Rs 2,000 crore, pertains to the construction of 12,748 classrooms and associated buildings during the AAP government’s tenure. The case was registered after the ACB received the necessary sanction under Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act from the competent authority.
The agency said significant irregularities and cost escalations were observed across the entire project. "Not a single work was completed within the prescribed timeframe," an official release said, adding that consultants and architects were appointed without following due procedure. The anti-corruption agency also flagged that the cost escalations were allegedly executed through these irregularly appointed consultants, further inflating the budget.
Key allegations and findings
- Massive cost escalation: The project involved constructing 12,748 classrooms/buildings at an estimated cost of Rs 2,892 crore. According to the ACB, tenders awarded for the work showed an average cost of Rs 24.86 lakh per classroom, while such classrooms could ordinarily be built in Delhi for about Rs 5 lakh each.
- Use of semi-permanent structures at RCC costs: Despite constructing Semi-Permanent Structure (SPS) classrooms — which have a 30-year lifespan — the government reportedly spent an amount equivalent to that required for Reinforced Cement Concrete (RCC) structures, which last 75 years. The ACB said there was "apparently no financial benefit" to using SPS over RCC.
- Contractors allegedly linked to AAP: The construction contracts were reportedly awarded to firms associated with the Aam Aadmi Party, raising concerns of conflict of interest and political patronage.
- Project delays and procedural lapses: No classroom was completed on time. The ACB highlighted significant deviations, escalated costs, and the appointment of a consultant and architect without following due process. These appointments were allegedly used to inflate the project’s budget.
- Suppressed CVC findings: A report by the Chief Technical Examiner of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) had flagged serious anomalies in the classroom construction project. However, this report was allegedly suppressed and not acted upon for nearly three years.
Complainants and political angle
The case was initiated following complaints from Harish Khurana, spokesperson of BJP Delhi Pradesh, Kapil Mishra, BJP MLA and former AAP minister, and Neelkanth Bakshi, head of BJP’s Media Relations Department in Delhi. Their complaints alleged corruption and massive overpricing in the project, prompting the ACB to begin a formal investigation.
Context and ongoing probes
This latest case adds to the legal challenges faced by both AAP leaders. Manish Sisodia is already in custody and facing charges in the Delhi excise policy case, while Satyendar Jain remains under investigation in a separate money laundering case.
The BJP has intensified its criticism of AAP, accusing it of failing the education sector it frequently touts as a model. With the classroom construction scandal gaining traction, opposition voices are calling for deeper scrutiny into all infrastructure projects executed during AAP's rule in Delhi.
Further developments are awaited as the investigation proceeds.
(With inputs from ANI)