ACB files FIR against ex-Delhi ministers in Rs 2,000 crore school construction scam
THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK New Delhi, April 30: The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government has filed an FIR against former…
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THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, April 30: The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government has filed an FIR against former AAP ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain in connection with a ₹2,000 crore scam linked to the construction of over 12,000 classrooms in Delhi schools.
The case is based on complaints by BJP leaders Harish Khurana, Kapil Mishra, and Neelkanth Bakshi, who alleged large-scale irregularities and inflated costs.
According to the ACB, the project—initially sanctioned at ₹2,892 crore—was riddled with cost escalations, deviations from guidelines, and misuse of contracts. Though tenders were floated for ₹860 crore, contract values later surged by 17% to 90%, largely due to richer specifications, without fresh bidding—violating Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) norms.
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One of the key allegations is the drastic inflation in construction costs. While a standard classroom could reportedly be built in Delhi for around ₹5 lakh, the awarded tenders reflected an average cost of nearly ₹24.86 lakh per room—raising serious concerns about financial mismanagement and profiteering.
The CVC’s Chief Technical Examiner submitted a report in February 2020 flagging severe violations of the CPWD Works Manual, GFR 2017, and CVC guidelines. However, the report was allegedly suppressed for nearly three years. It found that SPS (semi-permanent structures) classrooms cost nearly as much as permanent buildings, nullifying any expected cost benefit.
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The construction contracts were reportedly awarded to 34 contractors, many allegedly linked to the Aam Aadmi Party. Investigations also revealed that ₹42.5 crore worth of work in five schools was executed without proper tendering.
The ACB, with prior approval under Section 17-A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, has launched a detailed investigation to determine the roles of the former ministers and other officials or contractors involved.
