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CBI has tightened the noose on former Governor Satyapal Malik. Watch an exclusive analysis on this issue in “The MTA Speaks” by the veteran journalist Manoj Tibrewal Aakash
Former Governor Satyapal Malik (Source: Internet)
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satyapal Malik and five others in connection with alleged corruption in the Rs2,200 Crore civil works contract at the Kiru Hydro Electric Power Project. Officials gave this information on Thursday.
The agency filed a chargesheet before the special court, making Malik and five others accused after three years of investigation. At the same time, Satyapal Malik said in a post on 'X' on Thursday that he is admitted in the hospital and is not in a position to talk to anyone. The former Governor said that he is getting calls from many well-wishers, which he is unable to pick up.
The country's veteran journalist Manoj Tibrewal Aakash, while analyzing the issue in his exclusive show "The MTA Speaks," said that the CBI had raided the premises of Malik and others in connection with the case in February last year. After registering the FIR in 2022, the CBI had said in a statement that the case relates to alleged irregularities in awarding a contract of about Rs2,200 Crore for civil works of the 'Kiru Hydro Electric Power' (HEP) project to a private company in 2019.
'Hello friends. I am getting calls from many of my well-wishers which I am unable to pick up. Right now my condition is very bad, I am not in a condition to talk to anyone. I am admitted in Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital since May 11. I was admitted to the hospital due to complaint of infection. Now the condition is very serious and kidney dialysis is being done for the last three days.'
Malik was the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir from 23 August 2018 to 30 October 2019. Malik had claimed that he was offered a bribe of Rs300 crore to approve two files including one related to the project. After the agency conducted raids last year, Malik denied the allegations of corruption against him.
What did Satyapal Malik say then? 'Instead of investigating the people he had complained about and who were involved in corruption, the CBI raided his residence. The former governor had said in the post that they (CBI officials) will get nothing except four to five kurtas and pyjamas.
The dictator is trying to intimidate me by misusing government agencies. I am a farmer's son, I will neither be afraid nor bow down. According to the CBI chargesheet, there are allegations of irregularities in the tender process related to the project and deliberately benefiting some companies. This project is considered important for development in Jammu and Kashmir.'
In February 2024, the CBI had conducted searches at over 30 locations including Satyapal Malik's residences in Delhi and premises in Jammu and Kashmir during its investigation. The Kiru Hydropower Project is located in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. The project is being implemented through Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited. According to the CBI investigation, huge irregularities were found in the tender process for the civil works of the project.
In the 47th board meeting of CVPPPL, it was decided that the tender process would be done again through e-tendering and reverse auction, but it was not implemented. Instead, the contract was directly given to Patel Engineering Limited. The names of these people in the charge sheet The central agency has registered a case against the then chairman of Chenab Valley Power Projects Private Limited Naveen Kumar Chaudhary, MS Babu, MK Mittal and Arun Kumar Mishra, along with other officials and the construction company Patel Engineering Limited.
BJP has given a lot to Satyapal Malik. The question is why is Satyapal Malik doing this? That too against a party which not only gave him a ticket for the Lok Sabha elections, but also gave him the post of National Vice President of the party and Governor of four states. Due to his statements, the Bharatiya Janata Party has had to face difficulties many times.
Satyapal Malik calls himself a Lohiawadi. Influenced by Lohia's socialism, he started as a student leader from Meerut College Students Union. He was born on 24 July 1946 in Hisavada village of Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh. Chaudhary Charan Singh brought Satyapal Malik into politics. In 1974, he contested the Baghpat assembly elections on the ticket of Chaudhary Charan Singh's Bharatiya Kranti Dal and reached the assembly at the age of just 28.
Satyapal Malik won the first assembly election by a margin of about ten thousand votes. In 1980, he reached Rajya Sabha from Lok Dal party, but after four years he joined the Congress, during whose rule he was jailed for opposing the emergency. In 1987, Rajiv Gandhi was accused of the Bofors scam, against which VP Singh opened a front and Satyapal Malik supported him in this.
After leaving Congress, Satyapal Malik formed the Jan Morcha party which merged with the Janata Dal in 1988. In 1989, general elections were held in the country. Satyapal Malik contested from Aligarh seat of UP. He contested and reached the Lok Sabha for the first time.
In 1996, he joined the Samajwadi Party and contested from Aligarh. For about thirty years, Satyapal Malik was largely associated with the socialist ideology, but in 2004 he joined the BJP and contested from Baghpat on the party ticket against Chaudhary Charan Singh's son Ajit Singh. This election was also like a test for his identity as a Jat leader, but he failed in it. Ajit Singh got about three lakh fifty thousand votes while Satyapal Malik, who was on the third position, could get only one lakh votes.
In 2005-2006, he was made the vice-president of Uttar Pradesh BJP and in 2009 he was made the All India Incharge of the Kisan Morcha of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Despite the defeat, the BJP kept Satyapal Malik with them. In 2012, he was made the national vice-president of the BJP. This was the time when the BJP was looking for its ground in Uttar Pradesh and was looking for a Jat leader. At the same time, Satyapal Malik had a personal conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a relationship developed.
In 2014, Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister with a majority and on 30 September 2017, he was made the Governor of Bihar. After being the Governor of Bihar for 11 months, he was appointed the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir in August 2018. During Satyapal Malik's tenure, the assembly in Jammu and Kashmir was dissolved, after which the entire administration of the state came into his hands. During this time, Article 370 was removed from Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019. From November 2019 to August 2020, he was the Governor of Goa and from August 2020 to October 2022, he was the Governor of Meghalaya.
People who closely observe Satyapal Malik's politics say that he is a blunt man by nature and says whatever is in his heart. It is being said that he became disillusioned with the post due to interference in the Raj Bhavan.
