₹2,000 crore classroom scam: FIR filed against AAP leaders Sisodia, Jain
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New Delhi: The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has filed an FIR against former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and Education Minister Manish Sisodia and former Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satyendar Jain over alleged irregularities in the construction of classrooms during the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government’s tenure.
According to the ACB, a scam estimated at ₹2,000 crore has surfaced in the construction of 12,748 classrooms and school buildings. The complaint alleges that semi-permanent structure (SPS) classrooms, typically with a 30-year lifespan, were built at costs comparable to those of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) structures, which usually last for around 75 years, despite there being no financial advantage in choosing SPS.
The construction project was awarded to 34 contractors, many of whom are reportedly linked to the AAP. Investigations have revealed major cost escalations, delays, and procedural violations, with none of the projects completed on time. Furthermore, consultants and architects were allegedly appointed without following proper tendering processes, enabling inflated costs through manipulated specifications and contract adjustments.
A report by the Chief Technical Examiner (CTE) of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), dated February 17, 2020, had flagged several irregularities, but the findings were reportedly kept under wraps for nearly three years. The report cited multiple violations of the CPWD Works Manual 2014, General Financial Rules (GFR) 2017, and CVC guidelines, particularly in post-tender decision-making, which resulted in financial losses due to inflated project costs.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Harish Khurana, MLA Kapil Mishra, and Neelkanth Bakshi had filed complaints alleging corruption in the ₹2,892 crore classroom construction project. The average cost per classroom stood at ₹24.86 lakh, compared to the estimated ₹5 lakh per room under standard construction norms in Delhi.
The CVC report revealed that SPS classrooms were constructed at an average cost of ₹2,292 per square foot, nearly matching the cost of permanent pucca structures, which typically range from ₹2,044 to ₹2,416 per square foot. It also noted that richer specifications were adopted without any clear financial rationale, thus nullifying any cost-saving benefits expected from SPS-based construction.
In the 2015–16 financial year, the Expenditure Finance Committee had sanctioned the project on the condition that it be completed by June 2016, with no provision for cost escalation. However, contract values were later revised and increased by 17 to 90 per cent, resulting in a cost escalation of ₹326.25 crore, of which ₹205.45 crore was attributed to enhanced specifications alone.
No new tenders were floated to formalise these changes, in direct violation of CVC norms. In at least five instances, work amounting to ₹42.5 crore was executed without issuing proper tenders, instead utilising existing contracts.
With IANS inputs
