AAP govt forms panel to probe CNG fitness scam

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government on Tuesday announced appointment of Commission of Inquiry to be headed by a retired High Court judge to probe the multi-crore CNG fitness scam in which a number of officials of previous Sheila Dikshit government were under scanner.

A meeting of the Delhi Cabinet presided by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal decided to appoint the commission into the scam which is already being probed by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB). Delhi Home Minister Satyendra Jain said the Commission of Inquiry will be headed by retired Delhi high court judge S N Agarwal and its terms of reference will be announced in a day or two.

The scam came to light in 2012 when the ACB found that the Delhi government had lost nearly Rs 100 crore in alleged irregularities in awarding of contract to operate and maintain inspection and certification of CNG vehicles at the transport authority in Burari to ESP India Private Limited instead of ESP USA.

“The inquiry commission will look into all the investigations and developments that have taken place so far in this case, including wrongful denials of sanctions to prosecute guilty officials and dereliction of duty in taking action against those involved in the scam,” said Jain.

In June, the Delhi government’s Anti-Corruption Branch had reopened a probe into the multi-crore CNG fitness scam on a day it refused to allow an LG-appointed senior Delhi Police official to take charge of the probe agency. 

“The committee notes with satisfaction that in spite of the lack of application of mind, there appears to be no mala fide on the part of any functionary of the government in the processing the proposal,” he said.

It has been brought to the notice of the government that two probe agencies — Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the <g data-gr-id="30">Anti Corruption</g> Branch (ACB) separately found sufficient evidence to proceed against <g data-gr-id="36">several serving</g> and retired officials of the Delhi government.

“It has been further brought to the notice of the government that the CBI 

had last year recommended to the Union Home Ministry and the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) to take appropriate action against the officers involved in the scam,” released in Cabinet statements.

Allegations pertain to fraudulent allotment of contract for inspection and certification of commercial vehicles for obtaining fitness certificates to ESP India Private Limited through <g data-gr-id="33">preparation</g> of forged papers to allow it huge pecuniary gains.