Kejriwal writes to MHA against Bassi, top cop retorts

The ruling AAP and Delhi Police Commissioner B S Bassi on Friday sparred over an alleged act of corruption on the latter’s part prompting the visibly furious top cop to retort saying he will take the “cheats” to the “graveyard” and said that he would expose the Delhi government for making such accusations.

The comments follow a string of spats between the Delhi government and Bassi after a complaint was made by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal against the Delhi Police to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) charging it with attempting to “hound” the ruling AAP MLAs by reopening old cases and creating new ones against them.

Not only this, in the letter to the MHA written on November 7 with 10 specific complaints, Kejriwal further accused the police of not cooperating with his government on several issues. The charges were categorically denied in a point-by-point rebuttal issued by the Delhi Police in response to Kejriwal’s letter.

Also, the AAP government has also levelled allegations of corruption in a property deal against Bassi. The Delhi government further revealed that they are also considering filing charges against the Police Commissioner over alleged impropriety involving a cooperative society flat in West Delhi’s Rohini.

AAP’s Greater Kailash MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj raised an issue pertaining to an allotment of a flat in a cooperative group housing society in the Assembly demanding a CBI probe against Bassi. Bharadwaj alleged that Bassi got a flat in the society by allegedly flouting rules in collusion with the officers in registrar of cooperative societies in 1979.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said he has sought details from registrar of cooperative societies. “I had called for related files. I was told some files have gone missing,” he said. 

Bassi, however, asserted that the property in question is “purely legitimate and was lawfully acquired”. 

The AAP government has indulged in a “vicious propaganda”, he said. 

“I will have to get information and reply will be given. CP Delhi cannot work by hiding. CP Delhi works standing on the streets. I have never cheated and shall never get scared of such allegations. Will take such cheats to the graveyard of the cheats,” Bassi said. He said that any perception that the police would stop acting as per law following such attempts of “suppression” was wrong. 

“Time and again they resorted to such propaganda.”

AAP legislators also demanded action against Bassi for the “graveyard” remarks. However, Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta defended the Police Commissioner stating that the allegations were “politically motivated”.