'Complainant' Satya Pal Malik's Aides Hit by CBI Raids in Kashmir Power Project Corruption Case

Six people across 12 locations in Rajasthan and Delhi were raided by the Central Bureau of Investigation on Tuesday in connection with the Kiru Hydroelectric Project. The alleged corruption in the awarding of the contract in the case came to light after then Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik spoke about it. But, interestingly, all six people raided by the CBI, seem connected to the former governor.

Sunak Bali, former press secretary to governor Malik in J&K was raided in Delhi. His premises in south Delhi’s Defence Colony and West End were raided. As per a top CBI officer, Bali is the main suspect in the case of misappropriation of funds. Malik, however, defended his former aide.

“It is unfortunate that the CBI is harassing the complainant in this case. He was my press advisor in J&K without any government salary,” Malik told ANI.

Congress leader and senior lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi too came out in his support.

The five others raided are also being linked to Satya Pal Malik by probe officials.

Chartered Accountant Sanjay Narang is under the scanner for allegedly having advised the suspects on how to channelise the “ill-gotten money”. Narang, as per officials, is the CA for Malik. Virender Singh Rana and Kanwar Singh Rana, political appointees to Raj Bhavan during Malik’s tenure, were raided in Nangloi, Delhi. Kanwar Singh Rana was the personal assistant to Satya Pal Malik as per officials. The raids in Dwarka were carried out at the premises of Anita while Dr Priyanka Chowdhary was raided in Barmer and Jaipur. Agency officials said Dr Chowdhary was a close friend of Malik.

“The searches were carried out on the basis of digital evidence, communication between the accused, and analysis of bank accounts,” a CBI officer told News18.

The agency had registered the Kiru Hydropower Project FIR in April 2022 for criminal conspiracy and under section 5 of the Prevention of Corruption Act. Five people were named in the FIR: Navin Kumar, then chairman of CVPPPL, MS Babu, then MD of CVPPPL, and MK Mittal and Arun Kumar Mishra, then directors of CVPPPL and Patel Engineering Ltd.

The probe by the anti-corruption bureau of J&K said e-tendering guidelines were not followed while awarding the civil works package for the project.

Satya Pal Malik in a recent interview with The Wire alleged that he had cancelled the contract for the power project and informed the Prime Minister about this after he was apprised of corrupt practices in the deal.

The CBI questioned Malik for five hours on April 28 to seek more information about his allegations that a bribe of 300 crore rupees was on offer to clear the project and medical insurance files between 2018 and 2019.