BJP surrounded AAP on Delhi Jal Board scam, demands CBI inquiry

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has opened a new front against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi, which is embroiled in an alleged liquor scam. The BJP is now targeting Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal by alleging a scam in the Delhi Jal Board. Apart from LG VK Saxena, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva also complained to the CBI and demanded a probe.

The Aam Aadmi Party, on the other hand, claims that the Delhi government has already complained about this and that the Central Government is doing nothing about it. The party has stated that if anything went wrong, it was done by the officials and that the ministry had nothing to do with it. According to the BJP, there were anomalies in the process of upgrading sewage treatment facilities (STPs) carried out by the Delhi Jal Board, which is controlled by the AAP government.In a letter to LG and the CBI, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva raised concerns about the tender process.As per the reports, he wrote in them that "a consultant prepared the estimate based on a single quotation." An estimate that was greater than the market value was prepared. The BJP further stated that the projected cost of modernizing 10 STPs was Rs 1508 crore, while the contract was given for Rs 1938 crore.

BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia, while addressing a press conference on Monday, said that 10 STPs were to be upgraded, and the capacity of five was also to be expanded. However, DPR was designed just for two. He further stated that the original proposal for L-1 was Rs 392 crore, but instead of being reduced, it was raised to Rs 408 crore. He said that the government paid more than the projected cost in order to get a commission on it. Sachdeva has demanded from LG VK Saxena to cancel the contracts and conduct a CBI investigation.

Notably, the Aam Aadmi Party has issued a statement blaming the officers for the alleged irregularities. A statement issued by the party said, 'BJP is alleging that some officers violated tender rules in Delhi Jal Board.On the basis of the complaint, the Delhi government has already asked the Delhi Jal Board and the Finance Department to identify the guilty officers, but no action has been taken till now. Describing the minister as separate from the entire process, the statement said, 'The minister has no role in the tender process; it is carried out by the concerned officers. It is known to all that the GNCTD Act does not give the elected government the right to take action. But if there is something wrong, then we will appeal to LG to take strict action.