CBI issues notice to ex-J&K governor Satya Pal Malik for questioning in bribery case
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued a notice to former Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik in connection with its probe into an alleged insurance scam case, PTI reported quoting officials.
Reacting to the development, Malik told PTI that the CBI has asked for his presence at the agency’s Akbar Road guesthouse here for “certain clarifications”. “They want certain clarifications for which they want my presence. I am going to Rajasthan so I have given them dates from April 27 to 29 when I am available,” Malik said.
In October 2021, Malik claimed that he was offered Rs 300 crore in bribes to clear two files including one related to an RSS (Rashtriya Swayam Sevak) leader. Based on this allegation, the CBI registered two cases in the matter and conducted searches at 14 locations in April. The CBI has booked Anil Ambani’s Reliance General Insurance Company (RGIC) and officials of Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt Ltd (CVPPPL).
Malik alleged that when he was J&K Governor, he had received two files, one pertaining to “Ambani” and the other to an “RSS functionary”. “One of the secretaries told me that these are shady deals, but he can get Rs 150 crore each… I alerted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who told me that there should be no compromise on corruption,” Malik said, speaking at an event at Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan.
While Malik did not specify what files those were, one of these pertained to the government’s deal with Reliance General Insurance for providing health insurance to government employees. Malik had cancelled the deal in October 2018. The other matter referred to civil works relating to the Kiru Hydel Power Project.
Last year, the CBI had questioned Satya Pal in connection with the two alleged cases of corruption.
Interestingly, the CBI summons come days after Malik claimed that after the February 14, 2019, Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had asked him to stay silent over some alleged lapses he flagged.
In an interview Friday to Karan Thapar for The Wire, Malik, Governor of J&K from August 2018 to October 2019, claimed that the Home Ministry refused to provide five aircraft requisitioned by the CRPF to ferry its personnel which resulted in a large number of security personnel moving by road in a convoy and becoming the target of a deadly terrorist ambush.
