CBI registers prelim probe against Satyendar Jain

In more trouble for Delhi health minister Satyendar Jain, the CBI has registered a preliminary enquiry to probe allegations of irregularities during the hiring of 24 architects for the PWD.

The PE, which will ascertain if the accusations merit a probe, was filed after the case was referred to the CBI by the Delhi government’s vigilance department , CBI officials said on Tuesday. There are allegations that 24 architects were hired for a twoyear contract by a detective agency, alleged to be associated with Jain. The agency was tasked to identify the architects.

The name of the agency as mentioned in the complaint of the Delhi government’s vigilance department is Soni Detective and Allied Services Private Limited, which is based in Delhi.

According to records of the firm, Rekha Verma, Sanjay Verma and Raj Singh Naulakha are listed as directors.

The vigilance department has alleged that the agency was asked to identify the best brains in the field of architecture who would form a creative team for the PWD. The allegation against the AAP minister is that he tweaked the tender documents to facilitate the contract.

According to the complaint, a communication to this effect was issued by Jain’s office last February. It said the ‘trending market rate’ of the professionals ranged between ₹25,000 to ₹1,00,000 per month. The PE against Jain comes days after the CBI initiated an enquiry into allegations of money laundering by Jain.