Money Seized from Ex-Aide, KPK Opens Possibility to Examine Budi Karya

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has indicated a strong possibility of summoning former Minister of Transportation Budi Karya Sumadi for questioning. This development stems from the recent seizure of hundreds of millions of rupiah from Robby Kurniawan, who served as a former aide to Sumadi. The KPK's investigation is centered on allegations of bribery connected to the construction and maintenance of railway lines within the Directorate General of Railways at the Ministry of Transportation (DJKA Kemenhub).

KPK Chairman Setyo Budiyanto confirmed that the possibility of Sumadi being questioned exists, though he refrained from providing further details pending a comprehensive report from the KPK's Prosecution and Execution Deputy. The case initially surfaced from a sting operation conducted by the KPK on April 11, 2023, at the Central Java Railway Engineering Center (BTP) of DJKA Kemenhub. This operation led to the designation of 10 suspects who were subsequently detained.

The investigation has since expanded, with the KPK naming 21 suspects, including Sudewo, and two corporations as of January 20, 2026. The alleged corruption involves irregularities in the bidding process for railway construction projects across Java, Sumatra, and Sulawesi. Specifically, the KPK is looking into allegations of bid-rigging, where project winners were predetermined through manipulation from the administrative stages to the final tender selection. The KPK announced the seizure of funds from Kurniawan and Dudy Purwagandhi, another former aide to Sumadi, on May 19, 2026, underscoring the deepening scope of this high-profile corruption case.

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Yes, the possibility of being questioned certainly exists.