L-G nod to ACB to probe graft charges against PWD officials in building 7 temporary hospitals

The PWD was headed by AAP government Minister Satyendar Jain till last month, when he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with an alleged money laundering case.

According to officials, permission had been pending for several months.

BJP MP and former Delhi BJP chief Manoj Tiwari had alleged last year that there were irregularities in the construction of seven temporary hospitals. A complaint was also filed with the ACB, wherein Tiwari had named Jain as well as senior officials of the PWD, including the engineer-in-chief.

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Sanction has been granted to investigate the former engineer in chief as well as his successor, sources said. It is not clear whether sanction has also been given to probe Jain’s role. “The file was pending for a long time and no headway was seen in the matter. The matter was finally brought to the now L-G, who has now granted permission and the investigation can begin in earnest,” sources said.

In his complaint, Tiwari had alleged that there was a “commission of offence in the award of public works department tender” for setting up of seven temporary hospitals at Shalimar Bagh, Kirari, Sultanpuri, Chacha Nehru Bal Chikitsalaya, GTB Hospital Complex, Sarita Vihar and Raghubir Nagar while giving undue favour to a private company.

Tiwari alleged that the project was awarded for Rs 1,256 crore against an estimated amount of Rs 1,216 crore “in a single day without obtaining sanction of the projects” from the Delhi government.

The court had in September last year asked the ACB to file a status report on the complaint.

“The complainant requested to conduct enquiries regarding the role and involvement of Satyendar Jain (PWD Minister, Govt of NCT); Shashikant, Engineer in Chief, PWD, GNCT, Delhi; Sanjeev Rastogi, Chief Engineer, PWD, GNCT, Delhi, while awarding the tender to M/s. SAM (India) Buildwell Pvt Ltd for setting up seven temporary hospitals,” the court had said.

Tiwari had alleged that on the day Shashikant retired, he approved three tenders in favour of the company without checking its bidding capacity, and at the time the project was “not formally sanctioned by the Delhi government as per law”.

The ACB comes under the Centre through the L-G. It used to be under the Delhi government till 2014 before Centre took over, amid protests from AAP government which claimed it was a way for the Centre to cripple anti-corruption measures taken by them.