1 month ago
Last Updated:February 25, 2025, 16:08 IST
Accessed by CNN-News18, this CAG report for the year ended March 31, 2022 has pegged the total cost of the renovation work in the house at Rs 33.66 crore, 342 per cent more than the tendered amount
The CAG report says that in the absence of complete records, the audit could neither draw assurance regarding the planning activity nor about the correctness and genuineness of work executed. (File)
Not only did the former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government spend nearly 342% more on “Sheesh Mahal" than the tendered cost, but it also did not supply complete records to the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) during the audit of the former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence, the CAG report says.
Accessed by CNN-News18, this CAG report for the year ended March 31, 2022 has pegged the total cost of the renovation work in the house at Rs 33.66 crore, 342 per cent more than the tendered amount.
However, the CAG report says certain vital documents were not provided to the auditing body by the Delhi Public Works Department (PWD) “despite several reminders till June 2024". This highlights that the irregularities in the said work could have been greater.
“The matter of unavailability of records was taken up with the Executive Engineer and Principal Secretary, PWD. Despite several reminders, complete records were not made available to audit. Moreover, the reply to the draft report issued on October 17, 2023 was also not received from the Government/PWD, despite repeated reminders till June 2024," the CAG report has said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is citing this finding to claim that the actual cost of the renovation was much higher at Rs 60-70 crore.
The CAG report says that in the absence of complete records, the audit could neither draw assurance regarding the planning activity nor about the correctness and genuineness of the work executed.
“Moreover, due to not furnishing of supply vouchers along with the challans, the genuineness of material supplied by the contractor as well as the rate/make at which the material was actually purchased could not be verified," the report says.
BJP leaders claim this shows how the former AAP government tried to cover up the “scam" before CAG.
The CAG report says that the renovation work was awarded at tendered cost of Rs 8.62 crore which was 13.21 per cent above the estimated cost of Rs 7.61 crore.
The work was completed in April 2022 and final payment of Rs 33.66 crore was made to the contractor.
This work awarded at 13.21 per cent above the estimated cost was finally completed at 342.31 per cent above the estimated cost and 290.49 per cent above the tendered amount.
The report says Rs 46 lakh extra was spent on installing marble stone on the walls of the CM’s residence, while Rs 47 lakh extra was spent on smart LED lights, and a host of luxury items such as modular kitchens, large LED screen televisions, refrigerators, sauna, and jacuzzi were installed.
Location : First Published:February 25, 2025, 16:08 IST
News politics Delhi’s Kejriwal-Led AAP Govt Denied Documents On Sheesh Mahal: CAG Report
