₹62,000-Crore Power Scam Is Creating A Stir In Bihar: Former Minister Demands CBI Probe

Just a few days before the 2025 assembly elections, a major political earthquake has hit Bihar. Former Union Energy Minister and respected BJP leader R.K. Singh has made shocking claims. He has alleged a major scam in the electricity department of Bihar, with an estimated value of ₹62,000 crore. Singh is not only revealing these details but is also demanding an immediate investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against top officials of the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government. This explosive revelation by a member of the ruling party has created widespread concern and set the stage for an intense political battle.

Key Point Of Allegation: An Adani Deal

R.K. At the center of Singh’s allegations is a special deal involving the Adani Group. Singh, an experienced bureaucrat and former home secretary, said the scam revolves around a thermal power plant in Bihar. He claims that a company was allowed to build the plant at an increased price. Subsequently, the state government reportedly reached an agreement to purchase electricity from this plant at a much higher price for a period of 25 years.

R.K. According to Singh, this agreement with Adani Group is causing Bihar to buy power at the rate of ₹6.075 per unit. This price is much higher than the market rate. He further claimed that Adani Group was given much more money to set up the power plant than its actual cost.

Financial burden on the citizens of Bihar

This alleged deal is having a direct impact on the people of Bihar. R.K. Singh said that this agreement is putting additional financial burden on every citizen. He has calculated that due to this increased price Bihar is paying more than ₹2,500 crore every year. Over the entire 25-year period of the contract, this additional payment would be about ₹62,000 crore.

In addition, Singh clarified that consumers are giving ₹1.41 more per unit for their electricity. This additional cost is not just for electricity; the company receives additional funds in addition to a 15% return on its investment. This means that the people of Bihar are unknowingly paying more money than necessary for their daily electricity needs.

Demand for justice and accountability

R.K. Singh is not backing down. He has demanded registration of a criminal case against all the ministers and officials involved in this alleged fraud. He says that strict legal action including jail should be taken against those found guilty. His demand for a CBI inquiry is a clear appeal for an independent and thorough investigation to find out the entire truth of corruption.

Political Impact Before Bihar Elections 2025

Just two days before the first phase of voting in Bihar assembly elections, R.K. The timing of Singh’s revelations makes it very effective. This has increasingly become a main issue of political discussion.

Impact on the NDA government: These allegations have put a lot of pressure on the Nitish Kumar-led NDA government in Bihar. Claims of large-scale corruption in the electricity department, which directly involves senior officials, challenge the government’s image of good governance.
The insider challenge to BJP: What makes this situation unique is that the accusation came from inside BJP itself. R.K. Singh is a former Union Minister of the party. It is difficult for BJP to dismiss this internal criticism as mere propaganda by the opposition.
Adani Group under investigation: Adani Group’s involvement in the alleged scam also creates another problem. The group is already facing investigation on several fronts, and this new allegation by a former power minister could strengthen the demand for a closer investigation into its business dealings in India.

Opposition reactions and media scrutiny

Opposition parties R.K. Responded immediately to Singh’s claims.

Congress leader Pawan Kheda shared the news extensively. He reported that a national news channel, ABP News, had initially shown the report but later removed it. This raised questions about possible pressure or censorship.
CPI-ML leader Dipankar Bhattacharya described the allegations as “truly explosive”. He called it the “Mega Adani scam”, and linked it to big issues related to Adani Group.

How the media handled this story also became a topic of discussion. There were reports that ABP News reported that R.K. Deleted his original tweet and interview with Singh. This led to further discussion on social media, with many users and reporters, including NDTV, questioning the decision to remove the content. This brought more attention to the story rather than suppressing it, which brought huge public interest in the matter.

Method Of Alleged Scam

Senior activist and lawyer Arun Aggarwal threw light on the technical aspects of the alleged scam. He claimed to have worked closely on similar cases before and R.K. Singh has also been informed.

Aggarwal said that such scams often involve over-invoicing. This means showing a higher price than the actual price of the project and equipment. For example, a machine purchased for ₹1,000 crore can be shown to be worth ₹2,000 crore. This increased price then becomes the basis for calculating fixed charges and electricity tariffs.

He also pointed out that a common method is to manipulate the price of coal and its heat rate, which further increases the final price of electricity. By importing good quality coal and declaring it of low quality, companies can justify higher tariffs. In this way, power companies can charge more per unit for many years, making huge profits at the expense of the public.

Why now? Time for disclosure

An important question raised was that R.K. Why did Singh give this information just before the elections. Arun Aggarwal told that R.K. Singh is known for his honesty and thorough investigation. He suggested that Singh took time to verify all the details after receiving the initial information. Being a former power minister, he had deep knowledge of the functioning of the power sector, including the current market rates and bidding processes of electricity.

Aggarwal insisted that R.K. Singh is a strong-willed person who gives more importance to his state than his party. He suggested that this time could be seen as a perfect opportunity to expose how state resources are allegedly being misused, so that voters can take informed decisions. He believes that Singh considered this the right time for the citizens of Bihar to raise their voice.

Widespread impact

Independent media analyst Siddharth Sharma discussed its broader political impact. He said that these allegations directly challenge BJP’s narrative of “good governance” and “corruption-free India”. For years, the BJP’s ecosystem has been defending its ties with groups like Adani, claiming that they contribute to national development. However, R.K. Singh’s allegations show that these dealings could involve huge financial gains at the expense of the public. This situation is similar to the ongoing cases against Adani in other countries, especially America, where the group is accused of misleading investors. Sharma said Adani had allegedly admitted to American investors that he had paid bribes to obtain power contracts in India. If a former Union Power Minister of India’s ruling party now makes similar allegations inside India, it will be a big evidence that can impact these international cases.

This revelation has created a “crisis of confidence” for BJP in Bihar. If the party’s own former minister alleges such a big scam, it will be difficult for him to accuse the opposition parties of corruption or “Jungle Raj” (lack of law and order). This may cause BJP to change its campaign strategy in Bihar, perhaps moving away from rallies to road shows where direct speeches and questions and answers are less.

Conclusion: A Turning Point For Bihar Politics

R.K. Singh’s allegations of power scam of ₹62,000 crore, involving senior officials of Adani Group and Bihar government, could prove to be a game-changer. Being an insider of BJP, his speaking openly raises serious questions on transparency and accountability in the power sector of the state.

The demand for a CBI inquiry shows the seriousness of this situation. Its objective is to ensure that those who are responsible for burdening the common citizens of Bihar with increased electricity bills are held accountable.

As Bihar Assembly elections 2025 progress, the political impact of this revelation will continue to be felt, which may perhaps change people’s opinion and also affect voting patterns. The controversy has sparked an important discussion about integrity in government service and the ethical conduct of large companies.

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