Delhi Jal Board Consultant Removed Following Money Laundering Case Implication

New Delhi: The Delhi government has terminated the appointment of Senior Consultant Ajay Gupta from the Delhi Jal Board after discovering his involvement in a money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate, according to top sources who spoke to NDTV.

Gupta, who was appointed on October 24, was immediately relieved of his duties once officials became aware of the allegations against him.

Officials clarified that while Gupta's appointment was processed by the Jal Board, it was promptly cancelled when the ED complaint surfaced. The Enforcement Directorate's Delhi zonal office recently filed a prosecution complaint against 14 individuals, including former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain, ex-DJB CEO Udit Prakash Rai, Gupta himself, and several senior engineers, alleging extensive corruption and money laundering related to four sewage treatment plant (STP) tenders.

The action against Gupta follows just one day after the agency submitted its prosecution complaint to a Special Court in Delhi under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The complaint details alleged manipulation of tenders for upgrading 10 sewage treatment plants across the national capital.

In its official statement, the ED named several accused individuals, including former Water Minister and DJB Chairman Satyendar Kumar Jain, former CEO Udit Prakash Rai, Ajay Gupta, ex-Chief Engineer Satish Chandra Vashishth, and multiple private individuals connected to the tendering process.

The investigation originated from a First Information Report filed by the Anti-Corruption Branch, which alleged that Hyderabad-based Euroteck Environmental Pvt. Ltd (EEPL) had manipulated four DJB tenders.

Investigators revealed that EEPL Managing Director Rajakumar Kurra allegedly collaborated with DJB officials and intermediaries to modify tender conditions, specifically limiting eligibility to projects using "IFAS technology with fixed media," effectively ensuring that EEPL became the only eligible bidder.

According to investigators, the Delhi Jal Board's STP tender case essentially functioned as a tender-rigging and kickback operation. Officials and intermediaries allegedly narrowed eligibility conditions so specifically that only one company, Euroteck Environmental Pvt. Ltd, could qualify for the four major sewage treatment plant contracts.

With competition eliminated, the ED claims the company generated nearly Rs 10 crore in undue profits while distributing Rs 6.73 crore in bribes to senior officials through cash payments, hawala networks, and fraudulent invoices. The agency has identified the total proceeds of crime at Rs 17.70 crore and has already attached assets worth Rs 15.36 crore. Former minister Satyendar Jain, ex-CEO Udit Prakash Rai, Ajay Gupta, and senior engineers have all been named in the prosecution complaint.

With Gupta's removal, the Delhi government has acted swiftly to distance itself from the controversy as the financial probe agency continues its investigation. The case remains ongoing.