Case filed against AAP's Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain in Rs 2,000 cr classroom construction scam

The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of Delhi Police has registered a First Information Report (FIR) against former AAP ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain in connection with a massive alleged corruption scandal. The case pertains to irregularities in the construction of 12,748 classrooms and school buildings in Delhi, under the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. The total cost of the project has been pegged at Rs 2,000 crore, with significant cost escalations and delays in the completion of the work.

Manish Sisodia, who served as the Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi and held the Education portfolio, and Satyendar Jain, the former Public Works Department (PWD) Minister, are accused of overseeing the construction projects during their tenure. The ACB has pointed to several discrepancies, including inflated costs and delays, which led to the project surpassing its initial budget. The irregularities were allegedly facilitated by improper appointments of consultants and architects without following the required procedures.

The FIR follows a report by the Chief Technical Examiner (CTE) of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), which identified several anomalies in the project. The report had been kept under wraps for nearly three years before the ACB acted upon it. The registration of the case came after the ACB received permission under Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which allows for investigations into corruption allegations involving public servants.

Both Sisodia and Jain have been under investigation in separate corruption cases. Sisodia is facing scrutiny from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to the Delhi excise policy. Jain, on the other hand, was arrested previously in a money laundering case. The ACB’s case against them marks another legal challenge for the two former ministers.