Probe recommended into scam of Rs 1,300 crore in construction of classrooms by AAP government

New Delhi, Nov 25: The vigilance directorate has recommended a detailed probe by a specialised agency into the alleged irregularities and corruption by the Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. The probe is related to the construction of 2,405 classrooms in the 194 government schools in Delhi.

The Delhi's government's vigilance directorate submitted the report to the chief secretary. The directorate has also recommended fixing the responsibilities of the Education Department and PWD officials in the alleged mishandling of the money amounting to Rs 1,300 crore.

The vigilance directorate recommended that the Central Vigilance Commission take into consideration its findings and seek responses from the Public Works Department and Delhi government's Education Department.

It may be recalled that the Central Vigilance Commission had sent the report to the Delhi government's vigilance directorate in February 2020. The AAP government however did not take the report seriously until August this year when Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena directed the Chief Secretary to investigate the delay and submit a report.

The commission said that other than several procedural lapses and violations of rules and manuals to tamper with several procedural lapses and violations of rules and manuals to tamper the tender processes the vigilance directorate has outlined the role of private agencies/persons namely M/S Babbar and Babbar Associates. They despite not being appointed as consultant attended an important meeting held on June 21 2026, in the chambers of then PWD Minister and influence the minister for post-tender changes done in the work contracts in the name of richer specifications resulting I additional financial ramifications of Rs 205.45 crore.

"With an additional expenditure of Rs 37 crore, 1214 toilets were built in 194 schools, compared to the requirement of 160 toilets. The Delhi government counted toilets and projected them as classrooms. In 141 schools, only 4027 classrooms were built. The sanctioned amount for these projects was Rs.989.26 crore, and the total tender value was Rs 860.63 crore, but the actual expenditure was Rs 1315.57 crore. No new tender was called, but the additional work was completed. A number of works were left unfinished. Serious violation of the GFR, the CPWD Works Manual, and the CVC Guidelines," the Central Vigilance Commission had said.

On August 25 2019, the CVC received a complaint and cost overruns in the construction of the classrooms. Without calling for a tender the construction costs increased by up to 90 per cent in the name of richer specifications. The Delhi government approved a Rs 500 crore cost increase without a tender, the complaint read.