L-G orders ACB probe into PWD’s desilting projects

Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) VK Saxena on Monday directed the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) to investigate allegations of large-scale corruption and misuse of public funds amounting to nearly Rs 80 crore within the Public Works Department (PWD).

The investigation pertains to the desilting operations conducted in Southwest Road-I and Southwest Road-II divisions in Palam area. The probe follows a complaint submitted to the L-G on August 11 by advocate Amit Kharkhari, a municipal councillor of MCD Ward No. 127, Najafgarh.

The complaint accuses PWD officials of engaging in serious irregularities, including misuse of public funds, blatant violations of tender norms and other corrupt practices.

The L-G’s principal secretary, in a letter to the Chief Secretary of Delhi, conveyed the L-G’s directive, it said, “Keeping in view the severity and scale of the alleged irregularities supported with substantial proof of corruption in the complaint, the L-G has desired that this matter may kindly be referred to the ACB for in-depth investigation, so that further course of action be initiated, as per rules. It is also requested that an action taken report in the matter may be forwarded to this Secretariat, at the earliest.”

In his complaint, Kharkhari alleged that a single contractor, Surender Singh, was unduly favoured and awarded contracts for the desilting of drains, in violation of established norms.

The alleged misconduct includes corruption in the de-silting of drains during the 2022 monsoon, irregularities in the installation of sewerage pumps at vulnerable locations in Jaffarpur Kalan, misuse of subdivision tenders, overinflation of tender rates, fraudulent billing over four consecutive years, and obstruction of RTI requests, among other charges.

Kharkhari’s complaint further implicates high-ranking PWD officials, including Executive Engineer Ashish Gupta, Junior Engineer Ajay Kumar Meena and Assistant Engineer Dharam Singh Meena, as being directly involved in these alleged wrongdoings.

Additionally, Superintending Engineers Rajpal Shivrain and Shailender Mishra, along with Chief Engineer South (M), Manoj Kumar Aggarwal, are suspected of either being aware of or colluding with the accused engineers to shield them from scrutiny.

The complaint also cites instances where officials allegedly inflated measurements to facilitate higher payments to the contractor, leading to significant financial losses for the government.

Officials said the need for a thorough investigation by the ACB was to ensure accountability and transparency in the use of public funds within the PWD.

The investigation will focus on the involvement of the accused officials and the contractor, with further action to be determined based on the findings, they said.