The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday launched raids at over 30 locations including those linked to former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik in connection with a probe into alleged corruption in the award of a contract worth ₹2,200 crore of civil works of Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project (HEP) to a private company in the Union Territory.
People familiar with the matter said Malik’s premises were being searched as part of the probe, which has been going on in the case since April 2022. The 624-megawatt Kiru project is a run-of-river scheme over the Chenab river in Kishtwar district.
Malik, who was the governor of Jammu and Kashmir from August 2018 to 2019, alleged that he was offered a ₹300 crore bribe for clearing two files, including the one about the power project.
The CBI registered a case on April 20, 2022, at the request of the Jammu and Kashmir government on the allegations of malpractices in the award of the contract in 2019. The contract was allegedly given without following guidelines regarding e-tendering.