Assembly speaker denies corruption charges
13 March 2013 7:13 AM IST
Delhi Legislative Assembly Speaker Yoganand Shastri on Tuesday rejected allegations of former Assembly secretary Sidharth Rao, who accused him of indulging in corruption, misuse of public funds and amenities.
According to Shastri these allegations are baseless and fabricated. In turn, he accused that Rao had tried to blackmail him in order to be reinstated, but he could not succeed.
‘Everyone knows that Delhi government suspended him,’ added Shastri.
Rao’s complaint was also sent to Delhi lokayukta. But saying that it has no jurisdiction to decide the cases of corruption against the speaker, lokayukta dismissed the complaint and forwarded it to Lieutenant-Governor Tejender Khanna’s office for action.
Rao in a confidential communication to the Prime Minister of India, dated 22 May 2012, alleged that Shastri is corrupt and had misused public funds and amenties worth over several crores of rupees.
With the Delhi Legislative Assembly budget session scheduled for Wednesday, the leader of opposition, Vijay Kumar Malhotra has written a letter to Khanna. ‘To save the Delhi Assembly from ugly embarrassment I request you to kindly advise Yoganan Shastri to step down on moral grounds as it would be absolute derogation of the chair of speaker if he continues or will become more damaging if the speaker is removed by the house.’
According to Shastri these allegations are baseless and fabricated. In turn, he accused that Rao had tried to blackmail him in order to be reinstated, but he could not succeed.
‘Everyone knows that Delhi government suspended him,’ added Shastri.
Rao’s complaint was also sent to Delhi lokayukta. But saying that it has no jurisdiction to decide the cases of corruption against the speaker, lokayukta dismissed the complaint and forwarded it to Lieutenant-Governor Tejender Khanna’s office for action.
Rao in a confidential communication to the Prime Minister of India, dated 22 May 2012, alleged that Shastri is corrupt and had misused public funds and amenties worth over several crores of rupees.
With the Delhi Legislative Assembly budget session scheduled for Wednesday, the leader of opposition, Vijay Kumar Malhotra has written a letter to Khanna. ‘To save the Delhi Assembly from ugly embarrassment I request you to kindly advise Yoganan Shastri to step down on moral grounds as it would be absolute derogation of the chair of speaker if he continues or will become more damaging if the speaker is removed by the house.’
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