Rs 2,000 Crore Classroom Scam: New Corruption Case Filed Against AAP Leaders Sisodia, Jain
Delhi Police’s Anti-Corruption Branch has filed a new case against former AAP ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain in an alleged Rs 2,000 crore classroom construction scam.
The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of Delhi Police has launched a fresh corruption investigation against former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and former PWD Minister Satyendar Jain in connection with an alleged scam involving the construction of over 12,000 school classrooms. The scam is estimated to have caused a loss of Rs 2,000 crore to the exchequer.
Madhur Verma, head of the ACB, confirmed that a case has been registered and a comprehensive probe is underway. “We are also looking into the role of unidentified government officials and contractors associated with the project,” Verma said.
According to the ACB, the contracts for building semi-permanent structures (SPS) were awarded to 34 contractors, many of whom allegedly had connections with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Despite the intended lifespan of 30 years, the cost of these SPS constructions reportedly matched those of permanent concrete buildings that typically last 75 years.
The ACB noted that the project faced significant delays, leading to inflated costs. “In some cases, consultants and architects were hired without following mandatory procedures, escalating costs even further,” the ACB said in its findings.
The probe was initiated following complaints by BJP leaders, who alleged that construction costs had ballooned nearly fivefold. The ACB’s investigation revealed that the cost of SPS classrooms reached Rs 2,292 per square foot—comparable to pucca classroom costs of Rs 2,044–2,416 per sq ft.
A report by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), which had highlighted major irregularities in the project, was allegedly suppressed for almost three years, the ACB added. The report also pointed to an unexplained increase of Rs 326 crore in project costs without issuing new tenders.
Manish Sisodia was in charge of the Education Department during the period in question, while Satyendar Jain headed the Public Works Department (PWD), which executed the classroom construction work.
This is the latest in a series of corruption cases filed against senior AAP leaders. Both Sisodia and Jain are already under investigation in other high-profile cases, including the Delhi liquor policy case.
The ACB has said that it will question contractors and officials involved in the project in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, political tensions have intensified, with the BJP demanding accountability and the AAP calling the charges “politically motivated.”
