ACB will grill Swati Maliwal for ‘illegal recruitments’

The anti-corruption branch on Wednesday sent a notice to Delhi Commission for Women chief Swati Maliwal informing her that she will be questioned next week in connection with a complaint of illegal recruitments at the women’s panel. Meanwhile, the women’s panel issued a show-cause notice to Delhi police commissioner asking why an FIR has not been registered on the five-month old sexual harassment complaint of a constable against an inspector. ACB chief Mukesh Kumar Meena confirmed that a notice had been sent to Ms Maliwal. “She has been sent a notice informing that the ACB officials will be visiting the DCW office on Monday at 11 am to question her,” an ACB official said. The DCW, however, said that it has not received any notice till now. The probe has been taken up by the ACB on a complaint by former DCW chief Barkha Shukla Singh. In her complaint, Ms Singh had claimed that several AAP supporters were given plum posts in the women’s panel.

The DCW in the notice to Delhi police has asked to explain reasons behind not registering an FIR on the woman constable’s complaint despite the offence being cognisable. “The commission is in receipt of a complaint from a lady constable in Delhi police wherein she has alleged sexual harassment by an inspector. She has also alleged that similar complaint has been made against the accused by 24 other policewomen too,” Ms Maliwal said.

“The women constable has also informed DCW that despite approaching the concerned DCP several times for past 5 months, no action against the accused has been initiated yet,” she added.