CBI charges former J&K Governor Satyapal Malik in Kiru Hydropower corruption case
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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik and seven others in a corruption case linked to the ₹2,200-crore civil works contract for the Kiru Hydropower Project.
The chargesheet, submitted after a three-year investigation, was filed before a special court.
According to officials, Malik’s close aides—Virender Rana and Kanwar Singh Rana—have also been named. Others listed in the chargesheet include M.S. Babu, the then Managing Director of Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt Ltd (CVPPPL), its directors Arun Kumar Mishra and M.K. Mittal, Patel Engineering Ltd’s Managing Director Rupen Patel, and private individual Kanwaljeet Singh Duggal.
Taking to social media platform ‘X’ on Thursday, Malik informed that he was hospitalised and unable to respond to calls. “I am getting calls from many well-wishers which I am unable to take,” he wrote.
The case relates to alleged irregularities in awarding the ₹2,200 crore civil construction contract for the Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project to a private firm in 2019. The CBI registered an FIR in 2022 and conducted raids at the residences of Malik and others in February 2023.
Malik, who served as the Governor of J&K between August 23, 2018, and October 30, 2019, had earlier claimed that he was offered a ₹300-crore bribe to approve two files, one of which involved the hydropower project. He has denied all allegations of wrongdoing and criticised the CBI’s approach.
“They will not get anything except four-five kurtas and pyjamas. The dictator is trying to scare me by misusing government agencies. I am a farmer's son, I will neither be afraid nor bow down,” he had posted online following last year’s search operation.
The CBI’s FIR also names Navin Kumar Choudhary, the then chairman of CVPPPL, and several other officials. It alleges that although the CVPPPL board had initially decided during its 47th meeting to cancel the tender and reissue it through an e-tendering process with reverse auction, the plan was scrapped in the 48th board meeting. The contract was eventually awarded to Patel Engineering Ltd.