Delhi Jal Board case: ED files chargesheet against Satyendar Jain, 13 others

New Delhi: The ED filed a chargesheet against former Delhi Water Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Kumar Jain and 13 others in a case involving the award of four tenders related to Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) in exchange for a Rs 6.73 crore bribe, an official said on Monday.

The ED, through a provisional attachment order dated December 4, also provisionally attached movable and immovable properties amounting to Rs 15.36 crore of the various persons connected to the money laundering case that involves Proceeds of Crime (PoC) totalling Rs 17.70 crore.

The federal probe agency started the investigation based on an FIR registered by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), GNCTD, New Delhi, against Euroteck Environmental Pvt Ltd (EEPL) and others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, alleging a scam in Delhi Jal Board 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).

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Delhi Zonal Office, filed a Prosecution Complaint against Jain, Udit Prakash Rai (then CEO, Delhi Jal Board), Ajay Gupta (then Member, Delhi Jal Board), Satish Chandra Vashishth (then Chief Engineer, Delhi Jal Board), and other private persons/entities under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.

The ED investigation revealed that Rajakumar Kurra, Managing Director of EEPL, had manipulated the terms and conditions of the DJB tender through officials of DJB and private persons, Nagendra Yadav and others.

Kurra made the tender restrictive to the usage of ‘IFAS technology with fixed media’ only and thereby enabling EEPL to become the sole supplier of technology in the tender.

The Integrated Fixed-Film Activated Sludge (IFAS) technology with fixed media combines traditional suspended-growth activated sludge with attached-growth biofilm media in one reactor, adding extra surface area for microbes to grow, boosting biomass without increasing sludge volume, and allowing treatment plants to increase capacity.

As per the findings of the investigation, Rajakumar Kurra and his associates paid an illegal commission/bribe of Rs 6.73 crore through banking channels/cash, which is nothing but Proceeds of Crime under PMLA,2002.

The ED said illegal commission/bribe was paid through banking transactions 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 EEPL, which are also proceeds of crime under the PMLA, the ED statement said.

The investigation has concluded that Jain (the then Minister, GNCTD), Rai (the then CEO, DJB), Ajay Gupta (the then member, DBJ), Satish Chandra Vashishth (the then Chief Engineer, DJB) and private persons/entities namely EEPL, Kurra, Vinod Chauhan, Nagendra Yadav and other accused 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 and committed offence of money laundering.

IANS