The CBI questioned former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik for nearly five hours in connection with its probe into the alleged insurance scam in the Union Territory which came to light after his statement that he was offered bribes to clear related files, officials said.
A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) team arrived at the Som Vihar residence of Malik in the R K Puram area of the national capital around 11.45 am to seek clarifications over his claims, they said.
Officials said the exercise continued for nearly five hours during which several questions were lobbed at him about the claims made in his statements recorded with the CBI last year.
This is the second time in seven months that Malik, who served as Governor of various States, was quizzed by the CBI. Officials, however, clarified that Malik is not an accused or a suspect in the case so far.
His statement was recorded in October last year after he concluded his gubernatorial responsibilities in Bihar, Jammu and Kashmir, Goa, and Meghalaya.
After the latest CBI notice to seek clarifications from him, Malik had tweeted, “I have exposed the sins of some people by speaking the truth. Maybe that’s why I have been called. I am the son of a farmer, I will not panic. I stand by the truth.”
The CBI registered two FIRs in connection with the corruption allegations levelled by Malik in awarding contracts for a group medical insurance scheme for Government employees and civil work worth Rs 2,200 crore related to the Kiru hydroelectric power project in Jammu and Kashmir.
Malik had claimed that he was offered a Rs 300 crore bribe for clearing two files during his tenure as the Jammu and Kashmir Governor between August 23, 2018, and October 30, 2019. (PTI)
