J&K Lieutenant-Governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha on Friday said his administration has written to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe the allegations of bribery levelled by former Jammu & Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik.
“We want everything to be clear as people of a high rank have made such allegations,” Mr. Sinha said in Jammu.
Mr. Malik, who is currently Governor of Meghalaya, dropped a bombshell on October 17, 2021 during a function in Rajasthan when he claimed he was “offered ₹300 crore” for clearing files related to big industrialist houses during his tenure as Governor of the erstwhile State of Jammu & Kashmir.
“Two files had come for my consideration. One of the Secretaries told me that if I approve these, I can get ₹150 crore for each. I turned down the offer saying that I had brought five kurta-pajamas to Kashmir and will just go back with them,” Mr. Malik had said.
Mr. Malik on October 25, 2018 decided to terminate the contract granted to Reliance General Health Insurance Company Limited, a month after the then Jammu & Kashmir Government rolled out its Group Mediclaim Health Insurance Scheme for government employees, pensioners and accredited journalists.
Mr. Malik raised the issue that the government had not issued any tenders. “A private company had asked for tenders on behalf of another company. Those bids were not displayed anywhere on our [the government’s] website. The tenders were changed to suit a particular company,” Mr. Malik had alleged. He described the contract as “full of frauds”.
The insurance scheme was rolled out on September 20, 2018 with an annual premium of ₹8,777 and ₹22,229 for employees and pensioners, respectively. Many employees also paid their first instalment of about ₹25,000 for their policy.
Mr. Malik had also said that “during tendering, the amount was changed to suit the company and was opened on a holiday”.
Mr. Malik has also been critical of the now repealed farm laws.
‘Power surplus’ J&K
Meanwhile, Mr. Sinha said that the ₹1.42 lakh crore budget announced for the year 2022-23 will cover all sections. “There was no question of any disparity or injustice. The annual Budget is aimed at bringing peace and prosperity to J&K with real development on ground,” Mr. Sinha said.
He said the administration’s focus is on the power sector “that has been ailing since the past many decades”. “In the next four years, J&K is all set to become power surplus,” Mr. Sinha said.
