The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a chargesheet against former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik and seven others over alleged corruption in awarding the Rs 2,200-crore civil works contract for the Kiru Hydropower Project. The chargesheet, submitted to a special court in Jammu after a three-year investigation, names Malik, his aides Virender Rana and Kanwar Singh Rana, and several top officials and private individuals.

Among those charged are M.S. Babu, former managing director of Chenab Valley Power Projects Pvt Ltd (CVPPPL), company directors Arun Kumar Mishra and M.K. Mittal, Patel Engineering Ltd managing director Rupen Patel, and private individual Kanwaljeet Singh Duggal.

The CBI has invoked Section 120-B of the Ranbir Penal Code (criminal conspiracy) and relevant provisions of the Jammu and Kashmir Prevention of Corruption Act, as the alleged offenses occurred before Article 370 was abrogated on August 5, 2019. These laws were applicable in the erstwhile state before being replaced by Indian statutes.

Shortly after the news broke, a photo was posted on Malik’s official 'X' handle showing the 79-year-old hospitalized and on life support. The message accompanying the post noted that he was in serious condition and unable to speak.

His private secretary, Kanwar Singh Rana, confirmed to PTI that Malik has been critically ill and under dialysis at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi since May 11. He called the CBI chargesheet “harassment,” pointing out that similar actions by the agency had occurred last year when Malik was also hospitalized.

“We have already clarified to the CBI that we were not involved in any corruption,” Rana said, questioning the rationale behind targeting the “complainant.”

The case concerns alleged irregularities in the awarding of the Kiru Hydropower Project’s civil works contract in 2019 to Patel Engineering Ltd. Following the registration of the FIR in 2022, the CBI claimed the tender process bypassed earlier board decisions that had recommended a fresh e-tendering process with a reverse auction. Instead, the contract was directly awarded.

Malik, who served as J&K Governor from August 2018 to October 2019, had previously alleged that he was offered a Rs 300-crore bribe to approve two files, including the one related to this project. He has denied any wrongdoing and accused authorities of targeting him instead of investigating those actually involved in corruption.

Last year, following CBI raids on his residence, Malik had said publicly, “They will find nothing but a few kurtas and pyjamas. The dictator is misusing government agencies to intimidate me. I’m a farmer’s son—I won’t be scared or give in.”

The original FIR also named then-CVPPPL chairman Navin Kumar Choudhary along with the other officials and Patel Engineering. The CBI alleges that decisions taken in CVPPPL board meetings to re-tender the contract via reverse auction were not followed, and the contract was eventually granted to Patel Engineering against the recommended process.