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The Rouse Avenue court on Monday accepted a CBI's closure report in a corruption case against former Delhi Minister Satyender Jain. The CBI filed the closure report due to the lack of evidence and absence of sanction.
The FIR was registered on May 29, 2019, against Satyendra Jain (the then PWD Minister, GNCTD) and other PWD officials based on a complaint from the Directorate of Vigilance, Delhi Government. It was alleged that there was an irregular engagement of professionals in the PWD, a violation of rules, and payments made from unrelated project funds. It was also alleged that the minister and PWD officials irregularly hired a "Creative Team" of consultants, breaching recruitment and financial regulations. Special Judge (CBI) Dig Vinay Singh accepted the CBI final report for closure of the case. "In the absence of any evidence and sanction, the present final report for closure of the FIR is accepted," the special judge ordered on August 4. However, they clarified that if any fresh material is received against anyone, the investigating agency would be at liberty to investigate the matter further and take appropriate action. The allegations were of hiring a 17-member Creative Team of consultants by PWD. The complainant had claimed that outsourcing professionals for PWD projects was allegedly irregular and lacked proper approvals from the relevant Finance Department. This hiring bypassed standard recruitment procedures. It was further alleged that the expenses were charged to unrelated projects, such as "Barapulla Phase-III," without clearance from the Finance Department. It was also alleged that financial propriety was compromised, potentially giving undue advantage. Standard government hiring practices were ignored. There were allegations that there was a reduction in eligibility criteria. The scope of work was altered, and the process was manipulated to favour a specific agency, Soni Detective & Allied Services Private Limited, thereby violating norms and resulting in financial irregularities. Further, the allegations of favouritism and procedural lapses were made. The transparency in engaging the private outsourcing agency was also questioned. The monthly emoluments were defined as: Rs 50,000 for fresh graduates, Rs 75,000 for post-graduates or those with 3+ years of experience, and Rs 1 Lakh for MBAs. The CBI found that these amounts aligned with the regular earnings of PWD Architects, who earned between Rs 50,000 and Rs 1.95 lakhs per month, the court noted. (ANI)
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