‘House panel might summon LG over Sheila govt scams’

 Hours after the AAP on Wednesday wrote to LG demanding that he and Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) chief be made “co-accused” in four cases pertaining to alleged scams during the Sheila Dikshit government, Delhi Assembly Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla said Najeeb Jung might be summoned by Petition Committee of the House for questioning, if required.

Birla, who is the Chairperson of the nine-member Petition Committee of Assembly, said the committee has called its meeting on Thursday where a decision on whether to summon the LG will be taken.

An AAP functionary claimed that committee had power to question LG. The Committee looks into complaints received from the general public.

“We have called a meeting of Petition Committee tomorrow (Thursday) to take a decision on summoning LG. We have sought legal opinion from the government’s Standing Council and if required, the LG will be summoned for questioning in connection to the alleged scams,” Birla, who is an AAP MLA from Mangolpuri said. 

The development came hours after the AAP wrote to the LG saying he and ACB chief M K Meena should be made “co-accused” in the four alleged scams, including the one related to the pricing of gas from the KG Basin.

Earlier on Wednesday, 12 AAP MLAs went to Raj Niwas, the LG’s residence, around 11.30 am with their demands. They later claimed that Jung “refused” to meet them.The LG Secretariat, however, said Jung’s schedule was already prepared for the day and procedures have to be followed for seeking an appointment.

The ruling party legislators then approached Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel and gave complaints pertaining to the alleged scams.

Goel forwarded the letters of Bharti and another AAP MLA Rajendra Pal Gautam, along with complaints received from common public, to the Petition Committee of the House.