Saturday, March 29, 2025
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has formally filed a chargesheet against former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik in connection with a high-profile corruption case related to the Kiru Hydroelectric Project. Alongside Malik, two of his private secretaries and four others have also been named in the chargesheet.
According to CBI officials, the charges stem from alleged irregularities during Malik’s tenure as the Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. The case, which was officially registered on April 20, 2022, involves a private firm—Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt Ltd—and several unnamed individuals. The CBI alleges that standard tendering protocols were ignored in the awarding of the Kiru project contract.
Malik himself had earlier brought attention to the issue. In multiple interviews and public statements, he claimed that he was offered bribes to approve the project during his tenure. He alleged that one of his secretaries later informed him of a massive payout offer amounting to ₹150 crore per file, with two files under consideration—bringing the total bribe offer to ₹300 crore.
The CBI took these statements seriously and initiated a full-fledged investigation into the project, eventually leading to the chargesheet filed this week. The agency claims that Malik’s disclosures and subsequent findings established a clear link between him and alleged procedural violations in the tendering process.
Soon after the chargesheet was filed, Satya Pal Malik responded with a tweet. Sharing a photo of himself lying on a hospital bed, he wrote:
“Hello friends, I have received numerous calls from well-wishers, but I am unable to respond. My condition is very bad right now. I am admitted to the hospital and unable to talk to anyone.”
Malik’s post has sparked renewed public attention to the case, especially given his earlier stance as a whistleblower on corruption within the system. He has repeatedly argued that instead of punishing the alleged perpetrators, the system is targeting the person who exposed the wrongdoing.
The controversy surrounding the Kiru Hydroelectric Project is likely to intensify further as court proceedings begin and more details emerge. Malik’s health condition and his ongoing public remarks could also influence both the legal and political narrative around the case.
