New Delhi [India], August 19 (ANI): The arrest of former Delhi Minister and AAP leader Satyendar Jain in the alleged Delhi Jal Board sewage treatment plant (STP) tender scam triggered a war of words on Wednesday, with the Aam Aadmi Party alleging "political vendetta" ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls and pointing out that Jain was already in jail when the tender was floated, while the BJP welcomed the action as the outcome of an investigation into alleged corruption.
The Rouse Avenue Court on Wednesday remanded Jain and four other accused to 14 days of judicial custody, while Delhi Jal Board consultant Ankit Shrivastava was sent to police custody. The court listed Jain's bail application for hearing on August 25.
AAP MP Sanjay Singh questioned the timing of Jain's arrest, alleging that the action was politically motivated and linked to the upcoming Punjab elections.
"No action has been taken by the ACB. This action has been taken by the PM and the BJP. What control do they have in the matter? This tender was floated in October 2022. Satyendar Jain was in jail at that time; he had already been arrested on May 30, 2022. He has absolutely nothing to do with this entire affair," Singh said.
He alleged that Jain was being targeted because he was AAP's co-in-charge for Punjab and was working to strengthen the party's organisation there.
"Now, with the Punjab elections approaching, you are digging up a two-year-old case and putting him in jail--the motive is clearly visible, isn't it?" Singh said.
AAP leader Sanjeev Jha also questioned the arrest, saying the ACB had not sought custodial interrogation of Jain.
"It is quite surprising--and the first time I have seen this--that the agency did not seek remand after the arrest. Why do you make an arrest? You arrest someone because you need to interrogate them; yet, in this instance, the agency arrested the individual and immediately sent them to judicial custody," Jha said.
AAP Legal Cell head Sanjeev Nasiar alleged that the arrest was politically motivated and said Jain was already in custody when the alleged tender irregularities took place.
"The arrest is completely wrongful. Arguments regarding this are currently underway. During our arguments, we have stated that this arrest is entirely politically motivated," Nasiar said.
AAP national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar also linked the arrest to the Punjab elections.
"Satyendar Jain is the co-in-charge for Punjab, and elections are approaching; the BJP has resumed its usual pattern," Kakkar said, alleging that the case being cited relates to a period when Jain was already in jail.
AAP leader Anurag Dhanda similarly questioned how Jain could be held responsible for the tender when he was in custody.
"At the time of that Jal Board tender they are referring to, Satyendra ji was in jail. Tell me, how did he become responsible from jail? The real reason is that Satyendra Jain is the co-in-charge of Punjab, and elections are coming up in Punjab," Dhanda said.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also accused the BJP of targeting AAP leaders during elections.
"This is how the BJP operates. They are rattled; they have been unable to gain a foothold in Punjab, which is why they contemplated arresting him--given that he is the in-charge for AAP in Punjab," Mann said.
Punjab Assembly Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan termed the arrest political and alleged that central agencies were being used during elections.
"Satyendar Jain had previously been imprisoned for two years, yet not a single charge levelled against him in court was proven. This is not action taken against a crime; rather, it is Amit Shah's way of fighting elections," Sandhwan said.
Former Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi also called the arrest part of a BJP "conspiracy" and "witch-hunt".
"Now, as the co-in-charge for Punjab--where elections are scheduled for February--he is once again being targeted as part of a BJP conspiracy," Atishi said.
Jain's counsel also argued that the former minister could not be held responsible for decisions taken while he was in custody.
Advocate Vivek Jain said, "These tenders were awarded when I (Satyendar Jain) was in judicial custody. So, I can't be held responsible for this. I was a Minister, I was not an expert to take these daily decisions."
The BJP, however, defended the arrest and alleged that the investigation had uncovered large-scale irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board tender process.
Delhi BJP president and Union Minister Harsh Malhotra said the arrest reflected the consequences of alleged wrongdoing by AAP leaders.
"This is the beginning of the fruits of the misdeeds by AAP leaders, Arvind Kejriwal, Satyendar Jain. Due to Delhi Jal Board scam and Sewage Treatment Plant scam, the river Yamuna is polluted in Delhi," Malhotra said.
BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj said the action by investigating agencies would provide justice to Delhi residents.
"Throughout its tenure, the Aam Aadmi Party government demonstrated that its sole intent was self-promotion and corruption. Now that investigating agencies have arrested Satyendar Jain and four other accused individuals, the people of Delhi will receive justice," Swaraj said.
BJP leader Virendraa Sachdeva alleged that the STP tender was designed to benefit a particular company.
"Deceit, fraud, trickery, and theft - this is the very character of the Aam Aadmi Party. The tender issued for Sewage Treatment Plants under the guise of cleaning the Yamuna was deliberately framed with specific rules to benefit a particular company," Sachdeva said.
Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit also raised concerns over alleged irregularities in Delhi's treatment plant contracts, saying, "Treatment plant issue has not started today; irregularities have been taking place in Delhi for years. New contracts are being given at double, triple, or even four times the rates."
The ACB has alleged that the investigation revealed manipulation of tender conditions and criminal conspiracy in the augmentation and upgradation of STPs under the Delhi Jal Board.
According to the agency, the technical proposal for augmentation of the Rohini STP from 15 MGD to 25 MGD was altered, with the then minister approving an increase to 30 MGD without technical recommendation or feasibility study. It also alleged that the inclusion of Rohini and Narela STPs and exclusion of Okhla Phase-V resulted in an estimated escalation of around Rs 123 crore.
The agency further alleged that environmental safeguards were diluted by excluding three mandatory CPCB parameters from the tender documents.
Jain has denied the allegations and told the court that he had no role in the tender process after his removal from the ministry.
"I was removed on May 30. I had no portfolio. Work was awarded six months after my exit," Jain said. (ANI)
Delhi Jal Board scam: AAP says Satyendar Jain was in jail when tender was floated, BJP hails investigation
