ACB exposes multi crore scam in Mughal road project

Srinagar, Nov 12: Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) has registered a criminal case against Raman Puri, the former Chief Engineer of the Mughal Road Project, PWD (R&B) Department, and officials of M/s Hindustan Construction Company Ltd. (HCC) over a massive corruption scandal.
The case, registered under the Prevention of Corruption Act, comes after a detailed investigation into the award of payments related to the Mughal Road construction project, which is said to have caused significant financial losses to the state exchequer.
According to the ACB, the probe uncovered alarming evidence of misconduct by Puri, who allegedly abused his official position and colluded with HCC to approve inflated payment claims and extend project deadlines without proper procedures. The investigation further revealed that Puri and HCC representatives had frequent meetings outside the official channels, bypassing established norms in an effort to secure undue financial benefits.
The Mughal Road Project, aimed at improving connectivity between Jammu and Kashmir’s remote areas, was initially awarded to HCC in 2006 for Rs 214.4 crore. However, the project faced multiple delays and revisions. Despite the contract stipulating a completion date of February 28, 2009, the project’s timeline was extended several times, with the final deadline set for February 15, 2012. When the project remained incomplete, HCC raised the issue of further extensions, leading to an arbitration process.
The investigation revealed that Puri, in connivance with HCC, signed a letter on the company’s official letterhead, agreeing to conditions that granted the contractor further escalation claims from February 2012 to December 2012. This decision resulted in an arbitration award of Rs 21.52 crore plus an additional ₹11.27 crore in favor of HCC, causing a severe blow to the government’s finances.
The ACB also discovered that Puri had effectively waived off a massive Rs 54 crore in potential penalties for HCC’s delays in completing the project on time, thus benefiting the construction company at the cost of public funds. The arbitration award, which was finalized in March 2019, is now at the center of a major scandal involving serious allegations of corruption, favoritism, and abuse of power.
The case has been registered under sections 5(1)(d) and 5(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, as well as Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for criminal conspiracy. Along with Puri, the investigation also names M/s Hindustan Construction Company Ltd. and several unnamed officials as key accused.
As the Anti-Corruption Bureau continues its investigation, the public is demanding accountability for those responsible for the staggering losses to the state treasury. The case has raised serious questions about the integrity of the officials overseeing major infrastructure projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
This shocking revelation has sent ripples through the political and administrative corridors of the region, with calls for stricter scrutiny and reforms in the awarding and monitoring of public contracts. The investigation is ongoing, and more arrests and charges are expected in the coming days.
The people of Jammu and Kashmir are now waiting for justice as the ACB vows to hold those involved in the scandal accountable. FIR No. 23/2024 has been registered in P/S ACB Srinagar, and further investigation is underway.