NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has revealed that IAS officer Udit Prakash Rai and his mother-in-law allegedly received kickbacks amounting to nearly Rs 5 crore from six firms during his tenure as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). The money laundering investigation stems from alleged favoritism in awarding tenders under Rai’s leadership at DJB.
Background: Corruption Charges Filed by Delhi ACB
Last May, the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government booked six firms and several government officials on charges of corruption related to the DJB tender process. The firms involved include:
- M/s Eurotech Environmental Pvt. Ltd
- M/s Ayyapa Infra Projects Pvt. Ltd
- M/s Khilari Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd
- M/s GSJ Envo Limited
- M/s Shubhash Infraengineers Pvt. Ltd
- M/s Dineshchandra R Agrawal Infracon Pvt. Ltd
Following the ACB case, the ED filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, on May 13, 2024.
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Alleged Complex Money Trail
According to the ED, a complex series of transactions was used to funnel funds to Rai and his relatives. The probe found that Rai allegedly favored M/s Eurotech Environmental Pvt. Ltd. by structuring tender terms to benefit the company.
The investigation uncovered that Rs 1.52 crore was received by Rai and his mother-in-law from AN Enterprises (Proprietor Nagendra Yadav), a firm connected to Eurotech and its affiliates. Additionally, the Director of M/s Ayyappa Infra Projects Pvt. Ltd, Satish Varma, and Eurotech were involved in transactions totaling Rs 4.82 crore, which included the Rs 1.52 crore paid to Rai’s associates as commissions.
Current Status and Ongoing Investigation
The ED has formally communicated its findings to the ACB, citing a “maze of complex transactions” and seeking prosecution sanctions under relevant laws.
ACB officials have confirmed the ongoing investigation and said some prosecution sanctions under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act have been sought, while others are pending approval.
Repeated attempts to contact Udit Prakash Rai have been unsuccessful.
