The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government on Monday registered an FIR for alleged corruption against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit in connectio
The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government on Monday registered an FIR for alleged corruption against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit in connection with the Rs 400-crore water tanker scam. ACB chief Mukesh Kumar Meena said Mr Kejriwal and Ms Dikshit could be asked to join the investigation. While Ms Dikshit has been accused of playing a role in the scam, Mr Kejriwal has been booked for allegedly “shielding” her. “The FIR has been lodged against the former Delhi CM and the present CM of Delhi. We have received two complaints: one from the lieutenant-governor’s office and another from Leader of the Opposition (Delhi Assembly) Vijender Gupta,” Mr Meena said. The case has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act.
“An inquiry report in this respect, conducted by the Delhi government, was received at the L-G’s office and was then forwarded to the ACB. The inquiry, initiated by water minister Kapil Mishra, found that the scam took place during Ms Dikshit’s tenure (as CM). In the second complaint, Mr Gupta had alleged that the present government, despite knowing, did nothing and continued the alleged contract,” Mr Meena said.
Meanwhile, reacting to the ACB’s move, Mr Kejriwal tweeted, “All investigative agencies — Delhi Police, CBI and ACB — are under you (Prime Minister Narendra Modi). When you did not find anything in the CBI’s raid conducted at my principal secretary’s office, you are now misusing ACB. I welcome your move. I am happy that you have accepted that your fight is directly with me.”
In another tweet, he accused Mr Modi of not lodging any FIR against Congress president Sonia Gandhi and her son-in-law Robert Vadra in any scam “for which you were accusing them before elections”.
The ACB chief said the scam resulted in a loss to the exchequer of Rs 400 crore. “After analysing both the complaints, we have registered a case against the present Delhi CM and the former CM, Ms Dikshit,” he said.
ACB sources said the L-G’s approval was sought before registering an FIR in the case. “After thoroughly analysing the complaints and taking legal views, the ACB registered an FIR,” the source said.
The AAP government had forwarded to the L-G for further investigation the report of its fact-finding panel on the alleged Rs 400-crore water tanker scam linking Ms Dikshit to the scam. This was done after persistent demands by Mr Gupta for either the CBI or ACB to probe the matter. Mr Meena had then said that all aspects of the case, including whether the AAP government was sitting on the file relating to the case, would be probed.
The report indicates that the DJB suffered a financial loss of Rs 36.59 crore due to award of work to DIMTS on nomination basis, eliminating the existing firm working with the DJB, PCS Technologies. It also said that a loss of Rs 323.96 crores was caused due to award of work at unjustified and much higher rates as compared to the rates quoted by SPML Infra Ltd. Thus the government suffered a total financial loss of Rs 360.55 crores without considering the annual incremental charges.
Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay, welcoming the move, said Mr Kejriwal should “resign on moral grounds”. Mr Gupta termed the development a moral defeat for Mr Kejriwal.
