Satyendar Jain Arrested Over Alleged Delhi Jal Board Tender Irregularities

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain has been arrested by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) tendering process.

Jain, who previously spent 18 months in custody in a money laundering case, is among six people arrested in the case involving alleged manipulation of tender conditions and a criminal conspiracy related to the upgradation of sewage treatment plants.

According to the Delhi ACB, the Directorate of Vigilance had filed a complaint alleging large-scale irregularities in the DJB tender process. The investigation reportedly found that restrictive technical specifications and conditions were introduced to favour a particular technology provider, Euroteck Environment Pvt Ltd.

The agency said a proposed pilot study was not carried out and certain key parameters concerning treated effluent were left out of the tender conditions. It also alleged that intermediaries, including M/s Srijanhar and M/s AN Enterprises, were used to route funds.

The ACB alleged that Udit Prakash Rai, the former CEO of the DJB, received around ₹1.52 crore as bribes in his and his relatives’ bank accounts through M/s AN Enterprises, a proprietorship firm owned by Nagendra Yadav. The agency said the money was allegedly used to purchase immovable property.

Those arrested in the case are Satyendar Jain; Udit Prakash Rai; Ankit Srivastava, a former contractual consultant with the DJB; Nagendra Yadav, proprietor of M/s AN Enterprises; Raja Kumar Kurra, owner of Euroteck Environment Pvt Ltd; and Pankaj Verma, proprietor of M/s Srijanhar.

AAP Calls Arrest Political

The AAP criticised Jain’s arrest, arguing that he was in prison when the alleged tender irregularities took place.

AAP National Media In-charge Anurag Dhanda claimed the arrest was politically motivated and linked it to the upcoming Punjab elections. He questioned how Jain could be held responsible for irregularities allegedly committed while he was in jail.

AAP chief and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also accused the BJP of ordering Jain’s arrest. He alleged that the earlier money laundering case against Jain was fabricated and claimed the latest case would also be proven false.

The BJP, however, defended the action. Former Delhi BJP chief Virendraa Sachdeva said the arrest had exposed what he described as corruption in the AAP government’s handling of the Delhi Jal Board. He alleged that tender manipulation and bribery were part of the party’s governance model.

Jain’s Earlier Money Laundering Case

Jain, who held several portfolios in the Delhi government between 2015 and 2023, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in May 2022 in a money laundering case.

He was released on interim bail on medical grounds in May 2023 but returned to custody later. He was granted regular bail and walked out of jail in October 2024.

His release came shortly after former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, who were also jailed in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case, received bail.