In another setback to the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government, Lieutenant-Governor Anil Baijal on Friday ordered shutting down of the 'Feedback Unit' set up by the Kejriwal government here.
The unit was created under the Vigilance Department last year to "gather relevant information and actionable feedback" about officials and departments under the Delhi government.
The unit was also tasked to lay out traps to catch bribe-taking bureaucrats red handed.
"The Lieutenant-Governor has ordered closure of the Feedback Unit in the first week of March," sources said.
The order from the 'administrative head' of the national Capital came months after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a preliminary enquiry to look into its setting up without the LG's nod.
In January this year, a preliminary enquiry had been registered by the CBI after former LG Najeeb Jung had referred seven matters of alleged irregularity by Delhi government to the agency, which had come to light in the Shunglu panel report.
Reacting to the development, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said there is nothing wrong in setting up such a unit by the government.
"Every state should have a feedback unit and every government has it. Government should communicate with its people andtake feedback. I don't think there is anything wrong in it," Sisodia said while addressing a press conference at his official residence.
Sources in the Vigilance Department said that the government had hired around 15 retired police officers and experts.
"Some of members of the unit had resigned, while some had quit their job. Government had also not extended the contract of some members, coming to an end in February this year.
"It has not been functioning since March 1. The unit was last year given Rs 10 lakh as a secret fund," noted a report quoting a top government official said.