Former Delhi minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain on Wednesday alleged that his arrest by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) was politically motivated and connected to the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections. Jain, who is AAP's co-in-charge for Punjab, made the remarks while being taken to the Rouse Avenue Court. "This is done because the Punjab election is coming up… this is politics," Jain said. Jain is among six people arrested by the ACB in an alleged corruption case linked to the tendering process for sewage treatment plant projects of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).
Who are the six accused arrested in the case?
Apart from Jain, the arrested accused include former DJB CEO Udit Prakash Rai and Ankit Srivastava, who previously worked as a contractual consultant with the Delhi Jal Board. The other three accused are private individuals Nagendra Yadav, Raja Kumar Kurra and Pankaj Verma, according to the ACB. The arrests followed an investigation into alleged irregularities in the awarding of contracts related to the augmentation and upgradation of sewage treatment plants under the DJB.
What are the allegations in the Delhi Jal Board case?
The ACB registered the case on May 11, 2024, following a complaint from the Directorate of Vigilance. The complaint alleged large-scale irregularities, manipulation of tender conditions and a criminal conspiracy in the tendering process. According to the investigating agency, the tender documents contained restrictive technical specifications and conditions that allegedly favoured a particular technology provider, Euroteck Environment Pvt Ltd. The ACB has alleged that these conditions restricted competition and ultimately provided an undue advantage to the private company.
ACB alleges tender conditions were changed
The agency has also raised questions over the proposed pilot study linked to the project. According to the ACB, the study was not carried out, despite provisions relating to it being included in the tender. The investigating agency further alleged that restrictive requirements concerning the technology and media to be used were incorporated into the tender conditions. It also claimed that important parameters concerning treated effluent were left out and that technical specifications were subsequently altered. The ACB has alleged that these changes had significant financial implications for the government exchequer.
Jain calls arrest 'politics' amid Punjab election focus
Jain's remarks come against the backdrop of the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections, where he has an organisational role for the AAP. By linking his arrest to the polls, Jain has alleged that the ACB action is politically motivated. His statement was made as he was being taken to court, where proceedings related to the case are expected to determine the next course of action. The allegations made by Jain are his own claims, while the corruption allegations against him and the other accused are part of the ACB's ongoing case and remain subject to judicial scrutiny.
Jain was earlier arrested in money laundering case
This is not the first time Jain has faced arrest in a corruption-related investigation. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him in May 2022 in connection with a money laundering case. However, the present ACB case concerns alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board's tendering process for sewage treatment plant projects.
The Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday reserved its order on the Anti-Corruption Branch's (ACB) plea seeking judicial custody of former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain and the other accused in the alleged Delhi Jal Board scam case. The court also reserved its order on a separate application filed by the ACB seeking two days of police custody of accused Ankit Srivastava. All six accused, including Satyendar Jain, have moved bail applications before the court. They have also sought cancellation of the ACB’s arrest, challenging the agency’s action against them in the case.
Court reserves order on ACB plea
Meanwhile, the Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday reserved its order on the Anti-Corruption Branch's plea seeking judicial custody of Jain and the other accused in the alleged Delhi Jal Board scam case. The court also reserved its order on a separate application filed by the ACB seeking two days of police custody of accused Ankit Srivastava. All six accused, including Satyendar Jain, have moved bail applications before the court. They have also sought cancellation of the ACB’s arrest, challenging the agency’s action against them in the case.
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