A Delhi court on Wednesday, 9 September granted bail to former Delhi Jal Board (DJB) CEO Udit Prakash Rai and four co-accused in a case involving alleged corruption and tender manipulation in the tendering process for Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) upgradation projects in the national capital. The decision came from Special Judge (PC Act) Dig Vinay Singh of the Rouse Avenue Courts.

Who Was Granted Bail

The court extended bail to five accused — Udit Prakash Rai, Nagendra Yadav, Raj Kumar Kurra, Pankaj Verma, and Ankit Srivastava — each on a personal bond of ₹2 lakh. Notably, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain, who is also named in the same case, had been granted bail by the same court on 3 September.

Background of the Arrests

All five accused were arrested by the Delhi government's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on 18 August in connection with alleged large-scale irregularities in the DJB's STP tendering process. The arrests were linked to an FIR registered on 11 May 2024 at the ACB police station, based on a complaint from the Delhi Directorate of Vigilance. The FIR invokes Sections 7, 7A, 9 and 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018), along with Sections 420, 409, 418 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code.

What the ACB Has Alleged

According to the ACB, the tendering process allegedly contained restrictive technical specifications designed to favour a particular technology provider, M/s Euroteck Environment Private Limited. The agency has claimed that these conditions limited competition and conferred undue advantage on the selected private entity.

Investigators have further alleged that the proposed pilot study for STP upgradation was never conducted, that essential parameters on treated effluent were excluded from the tender, and that technical specifications were subsequently altered — reportedly resulting in significant financial loss to the government exchequer.

The ACB has also alleged that a flow of commission or bribe money passed through intermediary entities, including M/s Srijanhar and M/s AN Enterprises. According to investigators, substantial funds were transferred to the proprietorship concern of accused Nagendra Yadav from entities connected with M/s Euroteck.

Alleged Bribe Trail Involving Former CEO

The probe agency has alleged that former DJB CEO Udit Prakash Rai received bribes totalling approximately ₹1.52 crore — credited to his own and his relatives' bank accounts through banking channels from M/s AN Enterprises, with the ACB claiming the funds ultimately originated from M/s Euroteck. Analysis of electronic evidence allegedly revealed the exchange of restrictive tender conditions, corrigendums, and project-related documents that were subsequently incorporated into the STP tender issued by the DJB.

This comes amid a broader scrutiny of Delhi's civic contracting processes, with the STP case representing one of the more complex corruption investigations tied to the DJB in recent years. The trial proceedings are expected to continue as investigators complete their probe.