Srinagar, Jul 6: The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday searched 16 locations in five different cities in an ongoing investigation of a case related to irregularities in award of civil works of Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project.
According to a statement, issued to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO) CBI conducting searches at 16 locations in Jammu, Srinagar, Delhi, Mumbai & Patna at the premises of associates of accused, middlemen & others in the ongoing investigation of a case related to irregularities in award of civil works of Kiru Hydroelectric Project.
The statement reads that a case was registered on 20.04.2022 on the request of Jammu & Kashmir Government against then Chairman (an IAS Officer), then MD, two then Directors, a private company and unknown others on the allegations of malpractices in award of the contract worth Rs.2200 crore (approx.) of civil works of Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project (HEP) to a private company in the year 2019.
It reads that it was further alleged that in award of Civil Works package of Kiru Hydroelectric Project, guidelines regarding e-tendering were not followed and though a decision was taken in the Board Meeting of CVPPPL (Chenab Valley Power Projects (P) Ltd) for re-tender through e-tendering with reverse auction, after cancellation of on-going tendering process, same was not implemented (as per decision taken in the next Board meeting) and tender was finally awarded to said private company.
It reads that earlier, searches were also conducted on 21.04.2022 at the premises of the accused including then Chairman Navin Kumar Choudhary, then MD M. S. Babu, then Directors M. K. Mittal and Arun Kumar Mishra.
“During investigation, evidences were found revealing the alleged role of middlemen including then Chairman financial transactions between these middlemen & public servants and accordingly, searches were conducted today at 16 locations,” it added.
Pertinent to mention, the Kiru project (624 MW) is being constructed by the Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited, a joint venture company among the NHPC, JKSPDC and NPTC with an equal shareholding of 49 per cent, 49 per cent and two per cent, respectively. Its estimated cost is more than Rs 4,287 crore.Located on the Chenab in Kishtwar district, the project envisages construction of a 134-m high concrete gravity dam above the deepest foundation level.
—(KNO)
