J&K insurance scam: CBI raids premises of ex-Governor's aides

New Delhi, May 17

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today searched premises of former aides of Jammu and Kashmir ex-Governor Satya Pal Malik covering 14 locations across six states, including Delhi and Rajasthan, in an alleged insurance scam and graft case.

Officials said the search operation began at the residences of Saunak Bali, Sanjay Narang, Virender Singh Rana, Kanwar Singh Rana, Priyanka Chowdhary and Anita.

The search operation was necessitated after the analysis of financial documents, digital evidence and statements of accused and other persons in the case, the officials said.

The CBI had registered two FIRs in connection with the corruption allegations levelled by Malik in the awarding of contracts for a group medical insurance scheme for government employees, and civil works worth Rs 2,200 crore related to the Kiru hydroelectric power project in Jammu and Kashmir.

A senior official said, “Searches were conducted today in both cases at 14 locations, including Jammu, Srinagar, Delhi, Mumbai, Noida, Thiruvananthapuram and Darbhanga, on the premises of the accused.”

Malik had claimed he was offered Rs 300-crore bribe for clearing two files during his tenure as the Jammu and Kashmir Governor between August 23, 2018, and October 30, 2019.

The central agency has booked Reliance General Insurance and Trinity Re-Insurance Brokers Limited as accused in its FIR. The matter pertains to the reported clearing of a controversial health insurance scheme for Jammu and Kashmir Government employees by Malik at the state administrative council meeting on August 31, 2018. It was later scrapped. “Unknown officials of the Finance Department of Government of Jammu and Kashmir by abusing their official position in conspiracy and connivance with Trinity Reinsurance Brokers Ltd, Reliance General Insurance Company Ltd, and other unknown public servants and private persons have committed the offence of criminal conspiracy and criminal misconduct,” the FIR states.

In its second FIR pertaining to the alleged malpractices in the award of contract for the civil works of the Kiru hydroelectric power project, the CBI said guidelines related to e-tendering were not followed.

The case was registered on allegations of malpractices in the award of the contract of civil works of the Kiru hydroelectric power project to a private company in 2019.