A Delhi courtroom on Thursday granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party chief Satyendar Jain in a Delhi Jal Board (DJB)-related corruption case lodged towards him and 4 others by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
The reduction was granted by Particular Decide Digvinay Singh of Rouse Avenue Courts, who directed that Jain be launched on a private bond of ₹2 lakh and two sureties of the like quantity. A reasoned order is but to be launched.
The ACB had opposed Jain’s bail plea, alleging that he performed a “very important function in manipulating” DJB sewage therapy plant (STP) tenders to favour a personal firm.
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The submissions had been made by Extra Public Prosecutor Manish Rawat.
In its 13-page written response, the ACB alleged that Jain, throughout his tenure as Delhi’s water minister, “connived” with senior DJB officers, together with former CEO and co-accused Udit Prakash Rai, to control technical suggestions, the capability of an STP venture and its price estimates, ultimately tailoring tender situations to favour Euroteck Environmental Pvt. Ltd.
“Satyendra Jain performed an important function within the manipulation course of and has legal antecedent. It has been revealed that Jain, together with former DJB CEO Udit Rai, arbitrarily modified tender proposals with out correct research or technical suggestion,” the ACB stated.
Based on the company, the alleged manipulation started with a gathering on August 31, 2021, attended by Jain, senior DJB officers and representatives of Euroteck. “Throughout the assembly, it was determined {that a} pilot run of Euroteck’s proposed expertise can be performed on the Coronation STP to check its effectivity. It was additionally determined that each suspended media and stuck media applied sciences can be permitted within the tender,” the ACB stated.
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Nonetheless, the ACB alleged, “Neither the pilot run was performed nor had been each applied sciences finally allowed within the tender. As a substitute, the tender course of subsequently moved in the direction of allowing solely IFAS (Built-in Mounted-Movie Activated Sludge) expertise with mounted media, which allegedly suited Euroteck”.
The company additional alleged that one other vital determination involved the capability of the Rohini STP. On October 14, 2021, the DJB’s technical wing proposed rising its capability from 15 MGD (Million Gallons per Day) to 25 MGD, a proposal which was really useful by then DJB CEO Udit Rai.
Nonetheless, in response to the ACB, when Jain granted approval, the capability was allegedly elevated from 15 MGD to 30 MGD with none correct research or technical suggestion. “This elevated the estimated price of the venture from ₹90 crore to ₹147 crore,” the ACB stated.
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The ACB additionally alleged that subsequent conferences had been held between Jain and senior DJB officers with none minutes being recorded.
Based on the ACB, specs and situations supplied by Euroteck officers had been subsequently integrated into the DJB tender paperwork via corrigenda. The company alleged, “These adjustments had been made in connivance with senior DJB officers and intermediaries and had been meant to favour Euroteck, whereas placing different potential bidders at an obstacle”.
Consequently, the ACB stated that Euroteck was capable of emerge as the only expertise provider of IFAS expertise with mounted media within the STP tender.
The company additional alleged that Jain was in touch with one Vinod Chauhan, who, in response to the ACB, “was related with hawala operators allegedly concerned within the motion of bribe cash together with senior DJB officers”.
Summing up its case towards Jain, the ACB alleged that he was not a mere approving authority however “performed an important function within the alleged manipulation of the tender course of”.
It claimed that his function and connivance had emerged in the course of the investigation and the required approval beneath the Prevention of Corruption Act had been obtained.
The ACB additionally accused Jain of not cooperating with the investigation. “When questioned in regards to the approvals granted by him in relation to the tender course of, Jain maintained that he was not a topic knowledgeable and had granted the approvals in good religion,” the ACB stated.
Throughout the proceedings, senior advocate N Hariharan, showing for Jain, argued that he had acted on the premise of the suggestions of the technical committee and therefore couldn’t appeal to any legal responsibility. “It was a coverage determination. I by no means thrust upon my opinion. It was primarily based on the suggestions of the technical committee”.
Jain was arrested on August 18 together with 4 others within the Delhi Jal Board-related corruption case. He and three different accused had been subsequently despatched to 14 days’ judicial custody, whereas former DJB contractual guide Ankit Shrivastava was remanded to 2 days’ ACB custody.
The case was registered on Might 11, 2024, following a grievance by the Delhi authorities’s Directorate of Vigilance alleging “large-scale irregularities” and “legal conspiracy” within the tendering course of for augmentation and upgradation of DJB STPs.
The company’s investigation to date has discovered that three firms had been awarded tenders initially estimated at ₹1,546 crore, with the worth subsequently rising to ₹1,943 crore.
The ACB stated that the tender contained restrictive technical specs favouring Euroteck, thereby limiting competitors and giving the corporate an undue benefit.
The courtroom final week additionally granted two days of custody to the ACB of Jain’s co-accused Pankaj Verma, observing that the investigation involved a “multi-layered conspiracy” involving corruption of a number of crores of rupees and his custody was justified to unearth additional proof.
