A new Rs 2,000 crore Scam case has been filed against AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain. The investigation reveals that over 12,000 classrooms were built at inflated costs during their tenure in the Delhi government.
New Delhi: Former AAP ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain are facing new allegations as the anti-corruption branch (ACB) of Delhi Police has registered a new case concerning alleged corruption in classroom construction.
The ACB investigation reportedly revealed that over 12,000 classrooms and school buildings were constructed at inflated costs during the previous AAP government’s tenure, leading to alleged irregularities totaling Rs.2,000 crore.
Mr. Sisodia, who served as Arvind Kejriwal’s deputy, held the Education portfolio in the AAP government, while Mr. Jain was the minister in charge of the PWD (Public Works Department), the government agency responsible for such construction projects.
The case centers on the construction of 12,748 classrooms and buildings for various Delhi government schools.
Reportedly, the contracts were awarded to 34 contractors, many of whom were found to have associations with the AAP. The ACB stated that the construction was not completed within the agreed timeframe, resulting in a substantial cost increase.
The classrooms were constructed as Semi-Permanent Structures (SPS) designed to last for 30 years. However, the anti-corruption probe revealed that the cost was comparable to that of permanent (“pucca”) classrooms, which have a lifespan of 75 years.
The ACB further stated that costs escalated because consultants and architects were hired without adhering to proper procedures.
The investigation was initiated after BJP leaders filed complaints alleging that the cost of building the classrooms had increased nearly fivefold.
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A report by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) also uncovered several irregularities in the classroom project, but it was allegedly suppressed for approximately three years.
The report indicated that the cost of SPS construction reached Rs 2,292 per sq ft, “almost equal to the cost of building concrete school buildings at Rs 2044-2416 per sq ft.”
It also noted that “The project’s cost was increased by Rs 326 crore without bringing new tenders.”
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