Malik got bribes for J&K project via two aides: CBI
New Delhi, June 21 -- Former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik received bribes from Patel Engineering, routed through two close aides, for awarding a Rs.2,200 crore civil contract for Kiru hydroelectric project (HEP) over Chenab river in Kishtwar, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has claimed in its charge sheet filed against him and others last month, CBI officials familiar with the contents of the document said.
The money trail to his aides , Virendra Rana and Kanwar Singh Rana , has been established and detailed in the charge sheet, the officials, who asked not to be named, said, without divulging the amount of total bribes received. HT has not reviewed the charge sheet.
The federal anti-corruption agency filed a charge sheet last month before a special court in Jammu naming Malik,79, who was J&K governor from August 23, 2018, to October 30, 2019, his two aides, then Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt Ltd (CVPPPL) managing director MS Babu, its directors Arun Kumar Mishra and M K Mittal, managing director of construction firm Patel Engineering Ltd, Rupen Patel , and Kanwaljeet Singh Duggal. The court is yet to take cognizance of the charge sheet.
"After thorough investigation for three years, based on robust documentary evidence and statements of witnesses, we have established in our charge sheet that the former governor (Malik) received bribes through his two private secretaries , Virendra Rana and Kanwar Singh Rana. We have provided a clear money trail pertaining to the transfer of funds," said one of the CBI officials cited above.
A second CBI official said that there was no need to obtain prior permission to file a charge sheet against Malik, who held a constitutional post. "Under the provisions of J&K Ranbir Penal Code (RPC) and J&K Prevention of Corruption Act, in which the former governor has been charged, there is no need for prior prosecution sanction".
The agency has invoked section 120-B of J&K RPC and J&K PC act as the alleged corruption took place before the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019 when these archaic legal provisions in the erstwhile state were replaced by the IPC and Prevention of corruption Act. IPC has since been replaced by the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Malik's representative said on Friday that the former governor is undergoing treatment for a serious medical condition and that there would be no comment apart from whatever Malik has already said on X .
On June 7, in a post on X , Malik said: "The tender they want to implicate me in was one I personally cancelled. I had informed the Prime Minister about the corruption in that matter, and after informing him, I cancelled that tender myself. After my transfer, that tender was approved with someone else's signature."...
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