Synopsis
The Ministry of Home Affairs has approved the prosecution of former Delhi ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, who face corruption allegations linked to the Education and PWD departments. This approval stems from a request made by the Delhi Vigilance Department back in 2021.Key Takeaways
- Home Ministry approves prosecution of Sisodia and Jain.
- Allegations relate to Education and PWD departments.
- Request for prosecution dates back to 2021.
- Both ministers are currently out on bail.
- Corruption investigation linked to classroom construction.
New Delhi, March 13 (NationPress) In a new setback for former Delhi ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, who are under scrutiny for alleged misconduct related to the Education and PWD departments, the Ministry of Home Affairs has granted permission to initiate legal proceedings against them for corruption charges.
Notably, this prosecution request from the Delhi government's Vigilance Department that received MHA approval dates back to 2021.
The approval for prosecution was requested by the vigilance directorate in accordance with Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act (PC Act).
This section requires prior consent from a designated authority before any police officer can pursue an inquiry or investigation into alleged offenses committed by public servants under the PC Act.
The MHA's approval has been forwarded to the Secretariat of Lt Governor V.K. Saxena, allowing for the questioning of both Sisodia and Jain, who have spent over 17 months in jail related to various corruption and money laundering investigations associated with the excise policy and the establishment of shell companies.
Currently, both former ministers are out on bail and recently faced defeat in the Assembly elections.
Following the BJP's substantial electoral win, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has vowed to investigate all allegations of corruption from the previous AAP administration.
In 2020, the vigilance wing accused the Arvind Kejriwal-led government of significant irregularities in the construction of 2,405 classrooms across 193 government schools.
The vigilance directorate recommended holding accountable the officials in the Education Department and PWD who were implicated in the mismanagement that totaled approximately Rs 1,300 crore.
The investigation revealed numerous procedural violations and infractions, including tampering with the bidding process.
In April 2015, then Chief Minister Kejriwal instructed the construction of additional classrooms in Delhi schools. The PWD was tasked with building 2,405 classrooms across 193 schools.
They conducted a survey which indicated a need for 7,180 equivalent classrooms (ECR) in 194 schools, nearly three times the original requirement of 2,405 classrooms, as per a report from NDTV.
The vigilance wing received a complaint on August 25, 2019, claiming irregularities and over-expenditures in the classroom construction. The cost of construction surged by up to 90% under the guise of 'enhanced specifications' without issuing a tender.
The Delhi government approved a cost increase of Rs 500 crore without a tender process.
The vigilance investigation found that tenders were initially floated for the approved works, but the awarded contract values varied significantly, from 17% to 90%, due to 'enhanced specifications'.
