Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia on Friday slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) over “politically motivated” media leaks amid reports that the Directorate of Vigilance (DoV) has recommended an investigation by a specialised agency into alleged irregularities into the construction of 2,405 classrooms at 193 government schools.
“In the so-called scam in the classrooms construction, the vigilance report has been submitted to the media and the chief secretary. It has not been submitted to the minister. It was also not submitted to the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC),” said Sisodia, who is also in charge of education and Public Works Department (PWD) portfolios.
Sisodia added this has happened because cases and charge-sheets against ruling Aaam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders are written at the BJP headquarters. “It is happening every day,” said Sisodia.
The reports about the DoV’s recommendations surfaced as the AAP and BJP are involved in a bitter campaign ahead of the December 4 Municipal Corporation of Delhi polls. Sisodia was earlier named as an accused in another case related to alleged irregularities in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy 2021-22. AAP has linked a series of cases against its leaders to its attempt to make inroads into the BJP’s stronghold of Gujarat, where polls are being held next month.
On August 26, lieutenant governor Vinai Kumar Saxena sought a report from chief secretary Naresh Kumar over the delay of 2.5 years in acting on an inquiry report of the CVC into alleged irregularities and cost overrun of up to ₹500 crore in construction of additional class rooms at Delhi government schools.
BJP leader Vijender Gupta in July 2019 lodged a complaint with the CVC alleging the construction cost escalated by up to 90% in the name of specifications added later. He said the Delhi government sanctioned cost escalation of ₹500 crore without tender.
The reports said DoV has recommended its findings and the replies of PWD and the education department be sent to CVC for consideration. In its report, DoV has also reportedly cited several procedural lapses and violation of rules and manuals allegedly with the purpose to tamper with the tender process.
It has also flagged the role of a private person who, without being appointed as a consultant, attended a meeting on June 21, 2016 in the chamber of the then PWD minister Satyendar Jain, who was arrested this year in a separate case. The person also allegedly influenced Jain for post-tender changes done in the work contracts in the name of “richer specifications” and allegedly resulted in additional financial implications of ₹205.45 crore.
DoV has submitted its probe report to the chief secretary, officials aware of the matter said on Friday.
It sought responses from the education department and the PWD as part of its probe and prima facie indicated the possibility of a scam while recommending the investigation. It has recommended “fixing the responsibilities of the concerned officials of the education department and PWD”.
There was no immediate response from the chief secretary.
In a tweet, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra said the AAP government was getting exposed. “Vigilance directorate highlights ₹1300 crore scam in constructing school classrooms, recommends probe. Like an onion being peeled, layer by layer, all the scams and malicious intentions of the AAP government are getting exposed.”
