The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has intensified its investigation into corruption allegations surrounding the Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project (HEP), valued at ₹2,200 crore. The probe agency has conducted searches across more than 30 locations, some of which are connected to former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik. These searches are part of the investigation into purported irregularities in the awarding of civil works contracts for the hydroelectric project.
Satya Pal Malik, having served as the governor from August 23, 2018, to October 30, 2019, had previously asserted that he faced a ₹300-crore bribe proposal to approve certain files including the one associated with the 624-megawatt Kiru project that is a run-of-river scheme on the Chenab river in Kishtwar district. Last month, the CBI executed searches at around eight locations in Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir. During these operations, the agency seized digital devices, property documents, computers, and cash exceeding ₹21 lakh, in addition to documents deemed incriminating.
The CBI had initiated the case subsequent to directions from the government of Jammu and Kashmir concerning allegations against then officials of CVPPPL (Chenab Valley Power Projects (P) Ltd), including its chairman, managing director, and other directors, and an investigation into a private firm and unidentified individuals. Complaints surfaced alleging that e-tendering protocols were not rightly followed in the allocation of civil works pertaining to the project. It was stated that despite the 47th Board meeting of CVPPPL deciding for a re-tender via e-tendering through reverse auction, the resolution was overruled in the following board meeting, leading to the allotment of the contract to Patel Engineering Ltd without following the new tendering directives.