ACB gives 15 questions to Sheila Dikshit

Water minister Kapil Mishra alleged that the anti-corruption branch is going easy on former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, even as the anti-graft agency on Sunday handed her a questionnaire on the water tanker scam.

Mr Mishra said the ACB subjected him to a four-hour interrogation in June, despite him being a complainant in the case. Earlier on Sunday, the former chief minister was handed over a set of at least 15 questions by the ACB.

The water minister had complained against alleged irregularities in the procuring of water tankers by the Delhi Jal Board during Ms Dikshit’s tenure.

According to a senior ACB official, Ms Dikshit has been asked to reply to the question within few days. Ms Dikshit, however, told the anti-graft agency that she will not be able to reply to the questions immediately and that she needs more time.

The Aam Aadmi Party government had in June last year constituted a fact-finding committee to probe the alleged irregularities in purchasing 385 stainless steel water tankers in 2012. An FIR was launched in June after the committee’s report was sent to the lieutenant-governor. The ACB had then said that they will question Ms Dikshit in connection with allegations against her.

Mr Mishra alleged that the ACB’s visit to Ms Dikshit was a “mere formality”. “I’m the complainant in the case. The ACB had summoned me to its office and I was questioned in a closed room for four hours with over a dozen officials around. There was cross-questioning and interrogation and I was made to sign then and there only,” a statement issued by him said.

“They (the ACB) didn’t even summon Sheila Dikshit. She was not even interrogated,” the statement said. Mr Mishra further accused the BJP of “shielding” her and demanded that she be arrested in the '400-crore scam.