Fake Bills, Mule Accounts Found In Delhi Classroom Construction Scam: Probe Agency
New Delhi:
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has unearthed substantial incriminating evidence in connection with the alleged 'Delhi classroom construction scam', following large-scale search operations carried out on June 18.
The searches were conducted at 37 locations across the national capital under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002.
The ED's probe stems from a first information report (FIR) filed by the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government against former ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain, among others.
The case involves alleged financial misappropriation to the tune of over Rs 2,000 crore in the construction of approximately 12,748 additional classrooms by the public works department (PWD) between 2015 and 2023.
Investigators said the initial requirement was for 2,405 classrooms, but the project scope was arbitrarily and repeatedly expanded-first to 7,180 "equivalent classrooms" and later to 12,748 rooms - without proper sanction or administrative approval. This led to significant cost escalations, reportedly up to 49.03 per cent across different project phases.
ED officials said the search operation revealed original departmental files belonging to the Delhi government and rubber stamps bearing names and designations of PWD officials from the premises of a private contractor.
They also recovered 322 bank passbooks linked to mule accounts, allegedly opened in the names of labourers to facilitate diversion of government funds under the guise of legitimate payments.
The agency uncovered fake letterheads of contractors and shell entities, used to fabricate procurement records and generate fictitious purchase bills. Several dummy firms with no real infrastructure or operations were allegedly shown to have received substantial payments for classroom construction.
The ED seized forged invoices submitted to government departments, many of which either reflected inflated costs or entirely fictitious claims. Digital evidence and other financial documents recovered during the search are currently under forensic examination.
The agency said the evidence points to widespread corruption, use of shell entities, and systemic diversion of public funds. Further investigation is going on.
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