The Delhi government’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has filed a case against former PWD minister and senior AAP leader Satyendar Jain, accusing him of corruption related to a ₹571-crore CCTV project. The case, registered on Tuesday, was initiated after obtaining prior sanction under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, as confirmed by Joint Commissioner of Police (ACB) Madhur Verma.
Satyendar Jain is accused of arbitrarily waiving liquidated damages amounting to ₹16 crore that had been imposed on Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) for delays in the installation of CCTV cameras across Delhi. The waiver, according to the ACB, was granted in exchange for a ₹7 crore bribe. This corruption allegation stems from multiple complaints that the project, which was aimed at enhancing security across Delhi, was executed poorly. At the time of handover, several CCTV cameras were found to be nonfunctional, raising questions about the project’s quality and its completion. The case highlights governance issues, public safety concerns, and misuse of power in executing public projects.
The ₹571-crore CCTV project was intended to install surveillance cameras in key locations across Delhi to improve security. However, it has now become a source of scrutiny due to claims of substandard execution and corruption. Jain’s alleged facilitation of the waiver for delays, coupled with the reported bribe, prompted the ACB to take action.
In addition to this, a separate complaint was filed in July 2019 by BJP leader Harish Khurana and former AAP MLA Kapil Mishra, who is now a BJP minister. They alleged another major scam in the construction of 12,748 classrooms in Delhi.
According to a report by the Delhi ACB, the cost of building these classrooms was highly inflated. The construction costs were allegedly raised almost five times, from an average cost of Rs 1,500 per square foot to Rs 8,800, with each classroom’s actual cost around Rs 5 lakh, but the tender quoted Rs 24.86 lakh per room.
Both cases emphasize growing concerns over corruption and the misuse of public funds in Delhi’s government projects.
