Rouse Avenue Court Accepts CBI Closure Report, Ends Four-Year Probe into Hiring Irregularities Under Satyendar Jain

In a major relief to AAP leader and former Delhi PWD minister Satyendar Jain, a Delhi court on Monday accepted the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) closure report in a case related to alleged irregularities in hiring within the Public Works Department (PWD).

The CBI’s report concluded that after a nearly four-year-long investigation, no evidence of criminal activity or wrongful loss to the government was found in the alleged corruption case regarding the hiring of a creative team for the PWD.

No Offence Established, Says Court

Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh of Rouse Avenue Court noted, “When the investigating agency has not found any incriminating evidence over such a long period to prove the commission of any offence, particularly under the POC (Prevention of Corruption) Act, 1988, further proceedings would serve no useful purpose.”

The judge added that there was no evidence of criminal conspiracy, abuse of power, pecuniary gain, or wrongful loss to the exchequer.

The court deemed the actions in question as, at most, administrative irregularities, which did not constitute offences under Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act or criminal conspiracy.

AAP Reacts, Accuses BJP of Framing Leaders

Reacting to the verdict, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the BJP of framing its leaders in false cases. In a post on X, AAP chief and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claimed that all cases against AAP leaders are “false.”

The party questioned who would take responsibility for the emotional distress caused to the families of the accused due to baseless allegations.

Origins of the Case

The FIR in the case was filed on May 29, 2019, following a complaint from the Directorate of Vigilance. It alleged that Jain, then PWD minister, had irregularly hired professionals, violating recruitment rules and using unrelated project funds.

Jain was accused of hiring a 17-member creative team without approvals from the Finance department and bypassing standard government recruitment procedures.

CBI Findings After Detailed Probe

After registering the FIR, the CBI investigated the necessity and transparency of the hiring process, examining approvals and fund allocations.

The agency concluded that hiring the professionals was justified. The recruitment had begun with an open advertisement that attracted 1,700 applicants, and the selection process was merit-based.

According to the CBI report, the hiring was essential due to the urgent requirements of the department.

The report also highlighted that no payments were made beyond approved limits, and no evidence of quid pro quo or conspiracy was found. It emphasized that the actions did not amount to fraudulent conduct.

The CBI pointed out that there were around 50% vacancies in architectural posts at the time and major infrastructure projects had to be executed swiftly. Therefore, hiring through outsourcing was a common and accepted practice.

Court Cites Lack of Evidence

The court noted that the protest petition against the CBI’s report lacked sufficient prima facie evidence to warrant further inquiry.

Accepting the closure report, the court reiterated that the investigation found no illegal gains or wrongful loss to the government, dismissing claims of conspiracy or corruption.

CBI Clarifies Recruitment Was Transparent

The CBI stated there was no pecuniary benefit to the hired consultants and their appointment did not involve any fraudulent act.

The recruitment was carried out transparently through a broad-based committee, which included representatives from the Central Public Works Department, Delhi Metro Corporation, and Housing and Urban Development Corporation.

According to the report, the selected candidates held qualifications from reputed institutes and some moved on to better career opportunities later.

The court observed that the PWD lacked sanctioned posts and recruitment rules in areas like urban planning and graphic design, making outsourcing necessary.

AAP Terms the Case Political Vendetta

Delhi Assembly Opposition Leader Atishi called the court’s verdict proof of BJP’s political vendetta.

She said, “Over 200 cases have been filed against AAP leaders since 2015, but none involve corruption. Every time these cases reach court, their baseless claims are exposed.” Atishi accused the BJP of misusing central agencies to malign the AAP’s reputation without presenting evidence.

Final Words from the Court

Summarizing the judgment, Judge Dig Vinay Singh reiterated that no evidence was found regarding criminal conspiracy, pecuniary advantage, or abuse of authority, and that the alleged acts amounted only to procedural irregularities.

The case’s closure marks another instance where a high-profile allegation against an AAP leader has been dismissed in court due to lack of evidence.