Satyendar Jain charged with corruption over CCTV project

Delhi's Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has filed a case against Satyendar Jain, a leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and former Public Works Department (PWD) minister. He is accused of waiving a fine of ₹16 crore on Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) in exchange for a bribe of ₹7 crore. The penalty was related to delays in installing a large number of CCTV cameras in Delhi between 2018 and 2019. An FIR was registered after the Union home ministry approved legal action against Jain under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The investigation also involves unnamed officials from PWD and BEL. In July 2023, the lieutenant governor approved a proposal for further investigation into Jain. Allegations surfaced from a news report, suggesting Jain received a bribe to overlook BEL's penalty. The company missed its deadline for finishing the CCTV project, leading to the fine. During the ACB's investigation, they found a whistleblower from BEL who confirmed the allegations and filed a complaint. The whistleblower claimed that not only was the fine waived, but BEL received further orders for more cameras, effectively increasing the project’s scale. The FIR has led to political tensions, with AAP and the ruling BJP blaming each other. AAP leaders have denied any wrongdoing and called the case a political smear. They argue that the BJP has failed to produce any evidence of corruption despite their many investigations. On the other hand, Delhi BJP leaders claim that the ACB's investigation was previously hindered by the Kejriwal government and hinted at more cases revealing past misconduct. The investigation continues as officials examine documents from both PWD and BEL.