What is the story about?
New Delhi: The arrest of former Delhi Water Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain and others by the Delhi Police’s Anti-Corruption Bureau
(ACB) triggered a sharp political exchange between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the AAP. In his latest attack on the saffron party, AAP’s national convener Arvind Kejriwal alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah directed the ACB to arrest Jain. Kejrilwa claimed that the ACB did not have any plans to arrest the former Delhiminister till Tuesday afternoon, but things changed after Shah’s call. “An ACB official revealed—there was no plan for ACB to arrest Satyendra Jain until morning. Then in the afternoon, a direct call came from Amit Shah ji saying, "Arrest him." That's when the arrest was made,” the former Delhi Chief Minister said in an X post.
“Clearly, now arrests don't happen based on whether someone has committed a crime or not, but rather on whom those two want to arrest,” he added.
On Tuesday (August 18), Jain, along with five others by the ACB, in connection with the case related to the tendering process for the upgradation of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) under the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). After the arrest, he was taken to Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital for a medical examination. On Wednesday morning he was produced before the court.
BJP's Reaction:
BJP's Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal called Jain a collection agent of Kejriwal. “In Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal ran a shop of corruption for 10 years. Whether it was the scam regarding classroom construction in schools or the liquor scam, who knows how many scams they have committed, and they operated it with great cunning. In the 10 years that he was the Chief Minister of Delhi, he did not take charge of a single ministry even for a single day. He used to carry out corruption through ministers so that when the matter was exposed, the entire blame would be pinned on the minister,” Maliwal said.“This scam that has come to light regarding the Delhi Jal Board's sewage treatment plants is a very serious matter because sewage treatment plants are extremely necessary for Delhi,” she added.
Maliwal even questioned why Jain is living in a government bungalow in Punjab. “Satyendar Jain works entirely as Arvind Kejriwal's collection agent inside Punjab. Otherwise, tell me one thing: on what capacity has Arvind Kejriwal given Satyendar Jain—who is an ex-MLA of Delhi—a bungalow in Punjab that is larger and more luxurious than those of ministers? On what basis is Satyendar Jain living in government bungalow number 926, Sector 39, Chandigarh? What has he done? The truth being reported is that Satyendar Jain is working entirely as a collection agent for the party in Punjab, and he collects money from real estate agents and builders there.,” she said.
About the Case:
Last December Enforcement Directorate had filed a prosecution complaint (akin to a chargesheet) against fourteen persons including AAP leader Satyender Jain (who at the time of the scam was - minister of water and chairman DJB), then CEO DJB Udit Prakash Rai, then member DJB Ajay Gupta and others, officials saidThe prosecution complaint was filed in a probe linked to ACB.
ED probe findings have been shared with the ACB
Investigations revealed that there was a prima facie alleged corruption case involving the award of 4 tenders related to Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), officials said
ED initiated investigation on the basis of an FIR registered by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), GNCTD, New Delhi, against M/s Euroteck Environmental Pvt. Ltd. (M/s EEPL) alleging a scam in DJB in the name of augmentation and upgradation of existing 10 STPs at Pappankalan and Nilothi (Package 1), Najafgarh and Keshopur (Package 2), Coronation Pillar, Narela and Rohini (Package 3), and Kondli (Package 4).
Investigations Details:
Rajakumar Kurra, Managing Director of M/s EEPL, got the terms and conditions of the DJB tender manipulated.
The manipulation of tenders was done through officials of DJB and private persons Nagendra Yadav and others, making the tender restrictive to the usage of ‘IFAS technology with fixed media’ only and thereby, enabling M/s EEPL to become the sole supplier of technology in said tender.
During the investigation it was found Rajakumar Kurra & his associates paid an illegal commission/bribe of Rs. 6.73 Crore through banking channels/cash which is nothing but proceeds of crime
The said illegal commission/ bribe was paid through banking transaction by issuing bogus invoices/advances to obfuscate the payments and also through cash by hawala channels.
These acts resulted in undue profits of Rs. 9.96 Crore accruing to M/s EEPL, which is also proceeds of crime under PMLA.
ED investigation shows Satyendra Kumar Jain Udit Prakash Rai (the then CEO, DJB), Ajay Gupta (the then member, DBJ),and private persons/entities namely M/s Euroteck Environmental Pvt Ltd, Raja Kumar Kurra, & other accused persons are involved in/have assisted in generation, acquisition, concealment, possession and use of total Proceeds of Crime to the tune of Rs. 17.70 Crore (approx.) and thus committed the offence of money laundering.
On 4th December 25, the ED issued Provisional Attachment order and attached movable and immovable properties amounting to Rs. 15.36 Crore of the various persons
