Court Grants Bail to Satyendar Jain in Delhi Jal Board Corruption Case

NEW DELHI, Sept 3: A Delhi court on Thursday granted bail to AAP leader and former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain in a corruption case related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) tendering process.

Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh allowed Jain’s bail plea in a brief oral order and directed him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh along with two sureties of the same amount. A detailed reasoned order is awaited.

Jain had been sent to 14-day judicial custody on August 19 in the case, which relates to a tender awarded to Euroteck Environmental Private Limited during his tenure as Delhi’s water minister.

The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has alleged manipulation of tender conditions, claiming that the bidding process was deliberately made technology-centric to favour Euroteck Environmental.

The agency has also alleged that Jain arbitrarily increased the capacity of the Rohini sewage treatment plant (STP) from 15 million gallons per day (mgd) to 30 mgd without conducting a technical feasibility study. According to the ACB, the decision resulted in a cost escalation of around Rs 123 crore.

The ACB further claimed that commissions were routed through intermediaries to the bank accounts of various accused persons as part of an alleged money trail.

The case was registered in May 2024 on a complaint by the Directorate of Vigilance over alleged large-scale irregularities, manipulation of tender conditions and criminal conspiracy in the tendering process concerning the augmentation and upgradation of STPs by the DJB.

The allegations relate to the award and execution of the tender and are subject to proceedings before the court. (Agencies)