In a major development, the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi Police has filed a corruption case against former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain in connection with the alleged ₹2,000-crore classroom construction scam. The ACB has also launched a comprehensive probe to determine the involvement of other officials and contractors linked to the project.
According to ACB chief Madhur Verma, the role of unidentified government officials and contractors is also under scrutiny. The investigation pertains to the construction of over 12,000 classrooms and school buildings during the previous AAP regime, which, the ACB claims, were built at grossly inflated costs.
Manish Sisodia, who served as Deputy Chief Minister and held the Education portfolio, and Satyendar Jain, the then PWD Minister, were responsible for overseeing the classroom construction project. The Public Works Department, under Jain’s leadership, was the executing agency for the constructions.
The ACB’s initial findings suggest that 34 contractors, most of whom were allegedly associated with AAP, were awarded contracts. Many of the constructions were not completed within the stipulated timeframe, leading to significant cost escalations. Notably, the classrooms were built as Semi-Permanent Structures (SPS) with an intended lifespan of 30 years. However, the cost incurred was reportedly equivalent to that of pucca (permanent) classrooms with a lifespan of 75 years.
Further irregularities were noted in the appointment of consultants and architects, who were allegedly hired without adherence to due procurement procedures. These violations contributed to the soaring project costs.
The probe gained momentum following complaints by BJP leaders, who alleged that the classroom construction costs had escalated nearly fivefold. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) had also prepared a report highlighting serious lapses and irregularities in the project. However, the ACB stated that this report was suppressed for nearly three years.
According to the CVC findings, the cost of SPS construction was pegged at ₹2,292 per sq ft, which was almost at par with the cost of constructing full-fledged concrete buildings, ranging from ₹2,044 to ₹2,416 per sq ft. Additionally, project costs were increased by ₹326 crore without issuing new tenders, further raising concerns of financial mismanagement and procedural violations.
The investigation is ongoing and is expected to uncover more details about the extent of the alleged scam.
