Three engineers of the Central Public Works Department have been suspended for their role in alleged illegalities involved in the renovation of the official house of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
The three engineers — Pradeep Kumar Parmar, Abhishek Raj, and Ashok Kumar Rajdev — were the key employees in renovating the Delhi CM's house, reported NDTV quoting its sources.
These engineers, along with four others allegedly allowed rule violations and cost escalation in the name of superior modification on Kejriwal's construction, the report added. The four other officials involved in the alleged corruption have also been suspended.
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These engineers allegedly colluded with the Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) minister and allowed the construction of the new bungalow for the Delhi Chief Minister by invoking an urgency clause when there was no such urgency and the national capital along with the entire nation was grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic, as per the vigilance department.
The PWD minister allegedly pressed for fast-tracking the new construction of the new bungalow when the finance department had been issuing orders on fiscal management and reduced expenditure due to the pandemic, as per the report.
The PWD minister had pushed for fast-tracking for the new bungalow construction proposal in the name of addition to or alteration of the old house.
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The vigilance department has said on record that the demolition of the old building and construction of a new one and the "disproportionate increase in expenditure" were done on the directions of the PWD Minister.
The move resulted in major changes in the drawing of interiors submitted by the consultant, which led to deviation in the total amount paid and the amount sanctioned for the work, the report added.