Kiren Rijiju name in 450 Cr Arunachal Power Project Scam- Opposition demands his Resignation
New Delhi
Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, his cousin and several senior government officials are allegedly involved in a scam involving more than Rs 450 crore in connection with a 600-MW hydro-electric project in Arunachal Pradesh, this report published in a leading English News paper.
On the basis of that report the Congress and AAP on Tuesday demanded the sacking of Kiren Rijiju alleging that “a clear case of misuse of official position”,.
Rijiju, however, denied the allegations and said This is a totally “planted” report against him. The BJP also rejected the charges and alleged a conspiracy between Congress and its “friend”, a reference to Chief Vigilance Officer Satish Verma.
Chief Vigilance Officer Satish Verma of Eastern Electric Power Corporation has named several people, including the minister, in a report sent to the CVC, Central Bureau of Investigation and the Ministry of Power in July, 2015. The report pertains to the Kameng Hydro Electric Project, one of the state’s biggest such undertakings.
After receiving the 129-page report, the CBI sent had teams for surprise visits twice since July, but the agency has not yet filed a case in this regard. Verma was transferred to the Central Reserve Police Force in Tripura after he was pulled up for absence from duty. He has said he was not at his duty because he was investigating the project.
Verma has said that contractor Patel Engineering Limited tried to make money from the project by producing fake transportation bills and records that were worth “hundreds of crores of rupees”. The reimbursement of the bills was stopped after the report was filed. However, the MoS reportedly wrote to the Ministry of Power asking them to release the funds.
Rijiju’s cousin Goboi Rijiju is a sub-contractor in the project. He reportedly met Verma after he had sent his report. Verma has attached audio recordings of his meeting with Rijiju’s cousin, who is reportedly heard offering “any help you need from Bhaiya [Kiren Rijiju].”
The project is related to the construction of two dams for the 600-MW Kameng Hydro Electric Project. The dams will be constructed over the Bichom and Tenga rivers. One of the biggest hydro power projects undertaken in the state, it started in 2005. The project is near completion.
