Delhi Anti-Corruption Bureau Summons AAP Leaders Over School Construction Scam
AAP Leaders Face Summons in Alleged Scam
The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) of Delhi has summoned prominent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) figures, Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, regarding a purported scam linked to the construction of classrooms in the capital, as reported by a local news outlet.
On April 30, the ACB initiated a case against Sisodia and Jain, alleging irregularities in the construction of 12,748 classrooms in government schools, which were reportedly built at inflated costs.
Jain received his summons on June 6, while Sisodia was called to the bureau on June 9, according to another news source.
In response to the summons, AAP has claimed that the allegations are part of a strategic political maneuver orchestrated by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The party accused the BJP of manipulating institutions to target AAP leaders and fabricate a misleading narrative. They asserted that during AAP's governance, the BJP had systematically weakened the ACB, stripping it of its authority.
According to AAP, the BJP is now exploiting this diminished institution to pursue its own agenda against AAP leaders.
In 2019, BJP members filed a complaint alleging financial discrepancies in the construction of classrooms across three zones in Delhi, as reported by the same news outlet.
At that time, Sisodia was responsible for finance and education, while Jain oversaw the public works department, which managed the construction projects.
The complaint indicated that the cost of construction was approximately Rs 24.8 lakh per room, significantly higher than the Rs 5 lakh typically required for similar projects in the area. The project was awarded to 34 contractors, many of whom were reportedly connected to AAP.
Officials from the ACB noted that the 12,748 semi-permanent structures were intended to be built at a rate of Rs 1,200 per square foot, but costs escalated to around Rs 2,292 per square foot during the construction phase.
An audit conducted by the Central Vigilance Commission revealed that 63 tenders were issued and awarded for Rs 860 crore, with deviations from the awarded amounts ranging from 17% to 90%, leading to a cost increase of up to Rs 326.2 crore.
Additionally, work valued at Rs 42.5 crore was allegedly carried out without proper tendering through an existing contract, and 1,214 toilet blocks were constructed with an extra expenditure of Rs 37 crore, according to the report.
Madhur Verma, a joint police commissioner, confirmed the filing of the FIR, stating that the chief technical examiner's report from the Central Vigilance Commission highlighted numerous anomalies in the project, which had been overlooked for nearly three years.
In 2022, the vigilance directorate of the Delhi government recommended a thorough investigation into the alleged scam and submitted its findings to the chief secretary.
On March 13, the Union home ministry authorized the prosecution of Sisodia and Jain under the Prevention of Corruption Act concerning the alleged scam.
President Droupadi Murmu also sanctioned the filing of an FIR against the two AAP leaders.
Sisodia has previously dismissed the allegations, asserting that he and other AAP leaders, including Jain, Arvind Kejriwal, and Atishi, would not yield to the BJP's pressure.
In the recent Delhi Assembly elections held on February 8, the BJP defeated AAP, preventing the Kejriwal-led party from securing a third consecutive term.