Delhi Jal Board money laundering case: Accused allowed pen drive in jail to view chargesheet

Noting that even though the jail manual prohibited inmates from carrying a pen drive in prison, the court of Special Judge Bhupinder Singh said the accused should not be denied an opportunity to “cull out relevant pieces of information” from the chargesheet to prepare his defence while in judicial custody.

“While the jail manual prohibits carrying the flash drive (pen drive) by an inmate, but in the opinion of this Court, the actual prayer of the accused is not having a flash drive with him physically but to have access to the complaint (chargesheet) and RUDs (relied upon documents)…,” the court noted.

It also added that inmates have access to computers in jail and directed the Jail superintendent to upload the chargesheet and RUDs on the computer for Arora to read.

Advocate Yash Kadyan, representing Arora, had said the chargesheet and documents ran into thousands of pages and couldn’t be transported to the accused in prison. Special Public Prosecutor Manish Jain, representing the ED, stated that such kind of electronic devices came under the category of prohibited articles as per the Delhi Prison Rules of 2018 and opposed Arora’s request.

According to the probe agency, the DJB allegedly provided a company — NKG Infrastructure Ltd — with “undue advantages” for supplying, installing, testing, and commissioning electromagnetic flow meters in “connivance” with NBCC (lndia) Ltd officials.

According to the ED’s chargesheet, proceeds of crime worth over Rs 2 crore were transferred to DJB officers and others for funding elections of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). It also said: “… an illegal bribe to the tune of Rs 3.19 crore was paid to Jagdish Kumar Arora through his close associate and chartered accountant Tajinder Pal for giving undue favours in award of a DJB contract. Arora, through Tajinder Pal Singh, utilised Rs 1.18 crore for purchase/booking of properties and incurring personal expenses. The remaining PoC (proceeds of crime) of Rs 2.01 crore was transferred to different persons, including other DJB officers… as well as funding for elections to the AAP.”

Four persons, including Arora, and NKG Infra have been named as the accused in the chargesheet.Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was also issued a summons by the investigating agency during the probe but he did not appear on March 18, as asked.