The Delhi government’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has summoned prominent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) figures and ex-Delhi ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain regarding the purported Rs 2,000-crore classroom building fraud.
Jain, who managed Public Works, Health, Urban Development, and other important sectors under the government led by Arvind Kejriwal, has been called on June 6. Sisodia, responsible for Education, Finance, and various other departments, has been summoned to appear on June 9.
Action follows complaint filed by the Bharatiya Janata Party
The move comes after a complaint lodged by BJP spokesperson Harish Khurana, BJP MLA Kapil Mishra, and Neelkanth Bakshi from the Media Relations Department of the BJP. The grievance claims exaggerated expenses and discrepancies in the building of semi-permanent classrooms.
The case arises from an FIR filed by the ACB on April 30 following President Droupadi Murmu’s consent for prosecution. The FIR references findings from the Chief Technical Examiner report by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), which pointed out significant discrepancies in the building of 12,748 classrooms or semi-permanent structures while AAP was in power. Joint Commissioner Madhur Verma stated that the CVC report remained concealed for nearly three years prior to the start of the investigation.
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Allegations of massive cost escalation
Central to the accusations is significant cost escalation. The estimated cost initially was about Rs 1,200 per square foot, but the actual costs surged to nearly Rs 2,292 per square foot. The ACB asserts that the cost to construct each classroom is approximately Rs 24.86 lakh — considerably more than the usual Rs 5 lakh spent on comparable buildings in Delhi.
The 2020 CVC report also pointed out several procedural irregularities, such as contracts granted without proper bidding processes, excessive costs without new tenders, and the hiring of private consultants without adhering to regulations. It also highlighted the repetition of tasks, building without genuine need, and poor management of finances and timelines. A total of 34 contractors, with some reportedly connected to AAP, participated in the project.
The AAP insists that the claims are driven by political motives, blaming the BJP for using institutions as tools to aim at its leaders and fabricate a misleading narrative.
Sisodia and Jain are currently dealing with distinct legal issues. Sisodia was apprehended in the Delhi excise policy matter, whereas Jain was held in a money laundering probe. Both are presently out on bail.
