CPWD suspends 3 engineers over Delhi CM house renovation

The three were transferred out of Delhi, following which the LG had written to CPWD ordering their suspension earlier this week

The Central Public Works Department (CPWD) has suspended three engineers for their role in the alleged illegalities in the renovation and construction of Delhi chief minister (CM) Arvind Kejriwal’s official Civil Lines residence, officials from the lieutenant governor’s (LG’s) office said on Saturday.

Allegations that at least ₹45 crore were illegally spent on renovating Arvind Kejriwal’s residence had surfaced in April last year. (PTI)

Following an investigation that pointed at violation of rules and massive cost escalation “in the name of superior modifications” allegedly on the instructions of the CM, LG VK Saxena had recommended suspension and disciplinary action against seven officials who were posted with the Delhi PWD at the time. Two officials, who were still part of Delhi PWD, were suspended in July after orders from the Delhi vigilance department, and two other officials had retired. The remaining three were transferred out of Delhi, following which the LG had written to CPWD ordering their suspension earlier this week, the officials said.

“CPWD has suspended its three engineers, namely, ADG (Civil) CPWD Ashok Kumar Rajdev, chief engineer Pradeep Kumar Parmar and superintending engineer Abhishek Raj. Since the three engineers belong to CPWD and are currently posted outside Delhi, the Vigilance Department, on the direction of LG, had requested the Director General (CPWD) to suspend and initiate a major penalty against them. While Rajdev and Parmar are currently posted in Guwahati, Abhishek Raj is posted in Kharagpur,” said an official from the LG secretariat.

In response, AAP said that there should be fair and impartial investigation into the matter, but warned against “political witch-hunting”. “There should not be any victimisation of officers by witch-hunting to stop the works of the government as the officers are controlled by the LG,” it said.

Allegations that at least ₹45 crore were illegally spent on renovating Kejriwal’s residence between 2020 and 2022 had surfaced in April last year. The AAP, however, has denied the claims.

HT reached out to the three suspended officials but did not receive an immediate response from them.