Court to decide on prelim inquiry against Delhi minister Jain

Delhi minister Satyendra Jain and PWD officials committed "large scale fraud" involving nearly Rs 100 crore in awarding contracts of road and drain works, a petitioner today alleged before a Delhi court while seeking filing of an FIR against them.
The court, which was hearing the complaint lodged by Rahul Sharma, founder of NGO Road Anti-Corruption Organisation, is likely to give an order on January 9 on whether a preliminary inquiry is to be conducted into the matter.
The complainant had sought registration of an FIR against Jain and three Public Works Department (PWD) officials for alleged irregularities in grant of tenders.

Sharma's counsel A R M Pandey argued before Metropolitan Magistrate Abhilash Malhotra that more than 120 tenders of road and drain work have been accorded by the PWD at almost 60 per cent below the scheduled rates.
"It is a nearly Rs 100 crore fraud. Through a criminal conspiracy, the officials have looted the hard earned money of the tax payer," the advocate said.
The court, after hearing the arguments, kept the matter for January 9, when it is likely to give order on whether or not a preliminary inquiry is to be conducted into the complaint.

It has been alleged by complainant Sharma that during 2014-17, officials of Delhi government's PWD had allocated contracts for their pecuniary benefits as well as that of contractors for the work "which never got completed whereas shockingly all payments have been cleared".

The complaint also alleged irregularities in 125 matters of construction of roads, drains and other maintenance work with an estimated cost of more than Rs 90 crore.
The plea has sought a probe into Jain's role in causing gain to contractors allegedly by using ministerial influence and prosecution of PWD officials - Anil Trehan, executive engineer, Mukesh Kumar, superintending engineer and Eesh Kumar Anand, accountant, for the alleged offences of criminal conspiracy, cheating and forgery.