NEW DELHI — In a major development, the Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has arrested former Delhi cabinet minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Satyendar Jain, alongside former Delhi Jal Board (DJB) Chief Executive Officer Udit Prakash Rai and four others, in connection with an alleged multi-crore corruption case involving Sewage Treatment Plant (STP) tenders.
The investigative agency revealed that the arrests follow a detailed probe into large-scale irregularities, criminal conspiracy, and direct manipulation of tender specifications intended to favor a specific private technology company.
Key Suspects Taken into Custody
Apart from Satyendar Jain and former DJB chief Udit Prakash Rai, the ACB arrested four other individuals directly linked to the conspiracy:
Ankit Srivastava, former contractual consultant with the Delhi Jal Board.
Nagendra Yadav, proprietor of M/s AN Enterprises.
Raja Kumar Kurra, owner of M/s Euroteck Environment Pvt. Ltd.
Pankaj Verma, proprietor of M/s Srijanhar.
Unraveling the Tender Manipulation Scheme
The case originated from an official complaint filed by the Directorate of Vigilance on May 11, 2024, alleging systematic corruption in DJB’s projects aimed at augmenting and upgrading its sewage treatment facilities across the national capital.
According to the ACB's findings, officials tailored the tender documentation with restrictive technical requirements specifically designed to exclude competitors and grant undue advantages to Euroteck Environment Pvt. Ltd. A mandatory pilot study was bypassed, essential treated effluent safety parameters were intentionally omitted, and technical criteria were altered after release, incurring significant financial losses to the public exchequer.
Analysis of electronic evidence uncovered routine communications between private contractors, middlemen, and public servants. Intercepted files showed draft tender notices and corrigendums being shared directly with private entities before official publication.
Money Trail and Bribery Routes
The ACB further disclosed that kickbacks and illegal commissions were routed through intermediary entities, specifically M/s Srijanhar and M/s AN Enterprises.
Investigative records indicate substantial financial transfers from Euroteck-linked firms to Nagendra Yadav's firm. From there, funds were routed through formal banking channels directly into accounts belonging to former DJB CEO Udit Prakash Rai and his relatives. The ACB stated that Rai allegedly received ₹1.52 crore through these transactions, which was subsequently used to purchase immovable properties. Financial trace operations are ongoing to identify the broader proceeds of the crime.
AAP Decries Arrest as 'Political Vendetta'
The arrests sparked immediate political friction. AAP National Convener Arvind Kejriwal strongly condemned the action, terming it a fabricated case carried out at the behest of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
"Satyendar Jain has once again been arrested at the behest of the BJP," Kejriwal posted on X. "The previous case was fabricated too, and this case will also be proven fake. How long will the BJP’s dictatorship continue like this? Whoever they feel like, they slap false charges on and toss into jail."
Echoing similar sentiments, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh accused the BJP of using central and state investigative agencies due to political pressure surrounding upcoming elections.
The ACB confirmed that all six accused were formally arrested following detailed interrogations and that further custodial investigations remain underway.
