An audit conducted by former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Girish Chandra Murmu has unveiled extravagant expenditure amounting to Rs 33.66 crore on the renovation of Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence at 6, Flag Staff Road, Civil Lines.
This revelation has prompted a political furore, with allegations of irregularities surfacing ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections.
The report, signed off by Murmu a week before he vacated office on 20 November 2024, cites escalated costs for construction, luxurious items, and frequent revisions of estimates.
Originally pegged at Rs 7.91 crore, the project’s final cost ballooned following numerous changes, including a 36 per cent increase in built-up area, from 1,397 sq m to 1,905 sq m.
Items such as silk carpets (Rs 16.27 lakh), a minibar (Rs 4.80 lakh), and gym equipment (Rs 18.52 lakh) were among the "superior specifications" that pushed the total expenditure.
Marble stone for walls initially budgeted at Rs 20 lakh, rose to Rs 66.89 lakh, while floor tiles costing Rs 5.5 lakh escalated to Rs 14 lakh.
The report also flags "irregularities" in PWD’s handling of tenders and procurement. Of the five contractors invited to bid in October 2020, only three submitted bids, with the lowest bidder awarded the contract.
However, the CAG noted that several contractors lacked experience in VIP-area projects, undermining PWD’s claims.
The audit highlights that Rs 18.88 crore was spent on "artistic, antique, and ornamental items," categorised as "extra items."
Furthermore, Rs 1.87 crore was spent on sanitary fittings, furniture, and gym equipment under "extra items" for alterations in the staff block and camp office.
The report raises concerns about the Delhi Government’s reluctance to submit requisite documentation. The absence of supply vouchers and challans prevented verification of materials supplied and their cost.
Addressing the findings, an AAP spokesperson dismissed them as a “diversionary tactic by the BJP, days before the elections.”
Referring to Kejriwal’s statement, the spokesperson remarked, “It sounds odd to hear about the official CM residence… from a party whose leader lives in a Rs 2,700 crore house, travels in an Rs 8,400 crore aircraft, wears Rs 10 lakh suits…”
Kejriwal vacated the residence in October 2024 after resigning as Delhi Chief Minister on 17 September.
AAP has maintained that the property is not Kejriwal’s personal asset and will be allotted to future CMs.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticised Kejriwal’s administration, accusing it of squandering public funds.
“He could have built a ‘Sheesh Mahal,’ but we ensured that four crore citizens received houses in the last 10 years,” Modi said during his campaign in Delhi.
The Delhi Vigilance Directorate is investigating alleged irregularities linked to the renovation, while the Central Bureau of Investigation initiated a preliminary enquiry in September 2023. Recently, Delhi L-G V.K. Saxena ordered an additional probe following a complaint by BJP MLA Vijender Gupta.
The audit details 198 civil "extra" components and 40 electrical "extra" components, with five revised estimates submitted between 2020 and 2022. Artistic work, designer fittings, and marble additions cost Rs 5.07 crore, Rs 48.27 lakh, and Rs 1.97 crore respectively, exceeding initial estimates.
The BJP has termed the property "Sheesh Mahal," portraying it as a symbol of AAP’s alleged corruption, while AAP defends it as routine PWD work for an official residence.
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