Tanker scam: Make yourself a co-accused, AAP tells LG

In a letter to Jung, AAP legislator Rajendra Pal Gautam said the Arvind Kejriwal government had during its first 49 days in power in 2013-14 filed four FIRs against the “wrongdoers” of Sheila Dikshit government. 

Attacking LG Jung, the AAP legislators demanded that he and ACB chief M K Meena be made “co-accused” in four cases pertaining to alleged scams during the Sheila Dikshit government including one that is related to prices of natural gas from the KG Basin. 

A delegation of 12 AAP MLAs went to Raj Niwas, the LG’s residence, at around 11.30 am with the demands. They later claimed that Jung “refused” to meet them but the LG Secretariat said Jung’s schedule was already prepared for the day and procedures need to be followed for seeking an appointment. 

The development came after Delhi’s Anti-Corruption Branch Chief Meena said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal may also be quizzed apart from Dikshit in the tanker scam case after an FIR was lodged, leaving the AAP and Kejriwal bristling with anger.

Accusing Jung of protecting the alleged culprits, AAP MLA Somnath Bharti said that the party has also approached Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel demanding that the cases be forwarded to the House Committee on petitions, which he said has the power to summon “even the LG”.

“You (LG) have been protecting Smt Dikshit in these four FIRs through your inaction. Meena, imposed by the Union government as ACB chief, has also colluded with you in this criminal activity. “Kindly forward my letter to ACB with a direction that Meena and yourself should be made co-accused in these four FIRs,” a letter signed by Gautam said. Bharti claimed that the MLAs were frisked “like a terrorist” at the Raj Niwas and were not given an appointment with Jung though he was present inside the Raj Niwas premises.

Gautam in his letter accused Jung of “sitting” on all the cases during the period of President’s rule in the national capital. “Absolutely no action was taken in these four cases.” 

It had also ordered a probe into street light purchase scam during the Commonwealth Games of 2010 in which Dikshit’s role had come under the scanner. “They (the MLAs) just came. There has to be a request and time has to be given to process that request. The LG’s schedule was already ready so his PS took the documents brought over by them,” sources said.

There has been a continuous battle between the LG and the AAP government on a host of issues including appointments and role of police.

Kejriwal on Tuesday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the lodging of FIR linking AAP government to the multi-crore rupees water tanker scam, alleging it was done at the PM’s behest and asserted that such “coercive” methods would not “scare” him or the Aam Aadmi Party into silence.