On Wednesday, the Rouse Avenue Court remanded five accused—including former minister Satyendar Jain—to 14 days of judicial custody in connection with the Delhi Jal Board sewage treatment plant (STP) tender case. Meanwhile, accused Anil Srivastava was sent to police custody for two days for interrogation. The court also dismissed Satyendar Jain's plea challenging the legality of his arrest by the police. The Rouse Avenue Court also granted two days of police custody for Ankit Srivastava in connection with the alleged Delhi Jal Board scam case. The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) had arrested Satyendar Jain and others yesterday.
The court remanded Satyendar Jain, Udit Prakash Rai, Nagendra Yadav, Raja Kumar Kurra, and Pankaj Verma to judicial custody until September 3. They are scheduled to be produced before the court again on September 3 at 11:00 AM. Hearing on Udit Prakash's bail plea wil be held on Thursday.
Rouse Avenue Court issues notice on bail pleas of Satyendar Jain
The Rouse Avenue Court issued notice on the bail pleas of AAP leader Satyendar Jain and the five other accused. The court scheduled the hearing on the bail pleas for August 25. Additionally, the Rouse Avenue Court will hear the bail plea of the then Delhi Jal Board CEO, Udit Prakash Rai, tomorrow.
Earlier in the day, the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) sought 14 days of judicial custody of Satyendar Jain, ex-Delhi Jal Board CEO Udit Prakash Rai and three others in the alleged corruption case involving the tendering process for sewage treatment plant projects of the DJB.
In its submissions to Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh, the ACB sought also the police custody of only one of the total six accused, Ankit Srivastava, a former contractual consultant with the DJB.
Here's what counsel for Satyendar Jain said
However, the counsel for Satyendar Jain said that after the FIR was registered "way back on May 10, 2024," his client was called once on August 5, 2026, and then a second time through a phone call on Tuesday, after which he was arrested.
A day after his arrest, Satyendar Jain said his arrest by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) was linked to the upcoming Punjab Assembly polls and called it "politics". Jain and former Delhi Jal Board (DJB) CEO Udit Prakash Rai are among six persons arrested by the ACB in connection with an alleged corruption case involving the tendering process for sewage treatment plant projects of the DJB.
The other arrested accused are Ankit Srivastava, a former contractual consultant with the DJB, and private persons Nagendra Yadav, Raja Kumar Kurra and Pankaj Verma, the ACB said in a statement.
A case was registered on May 11, 2024
The case was registered on May 11, 2024, on a complaint by the Directorate of Vigilance over alleged large-scale irregularities, manipulation of tender conditions and criminal conspiracy in the tendering process related to the augmentation and upgradation of sewage treatment plants of the DJB.
As per the ACB, the investigation found that the tendering process allegedly contained restrictive technical specifications and conditions favouring a particular technology provider, Euroteck Environment Pvt Ltd, thereby, limiting competition and providing undue advantage to the private entity.
The ACB also alleged that the proposed pilot study was not conducted, while restrictive conditions concerning the technology and media to be used were included in the tender. The agency further alleged that essential parameters relating to treated effluent were excluded and technical specifications were changed, resulting in significant financial implications for the government exchequer.
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