LG says AAP govt has no powers to appoint Bihar cops in Delhi ACB

New Delhi: A day after the Delhi government appointed five Bihar Police officers in its Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), the office of the Lieutenant Governor categorically stated on Tuesday that only it has the power to make such appointments.

“The ACB Delhi being a police station functions under authority, control and supervision of the LG, a position clarified by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA),” a statement from the LG House said.

“The office of Lt Governor has so far not received any proposal for the deputation of such personnel from outside Delhi Police. The matter will be duly examined as and when the LG receives formal proposal from the Vigilance Department of Delhi government,” the Raj Niwas statement added.

The statement seeks to make it clear that the Delhi government has no authority to appoint officers from Bihar on deputation in the Delhi ACB.

Reacting to the LG office's statement, the Delhi government stated that the High Court has already settled the issue of jurisdiction of ACB and that there is no confusion.

“Law is absolutely clear on ACB and has been upheld by the High Court,” the government said further, and added, “Delhi government appeals all honest officers across the country to strengthen the ACB.”

“Delhi government and ACB have complete power to appoint police officers from anywhere across the country,” said Deputy CM Manish Sisodia separately. He later also met LG Jung but details of the meeting were not available.

The Centre, meanwhile, took pot shots at the Kejriwal government.

“Let me give an uncalled for friendly advice to Kejriwal ji - governance is serious business, please keep it in mind,” said Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad.

The LG's statement came a day after five Bihar cops joined the Delhi government's ACB.

As per official sources, three inspectors and two sub-inspectors of the Bihar Police joined the ACB which is currently facing manpower crunch.

The Delhi government had written to the Bihar government to make the request following which five officers were dispatched to the national capital, sources added.

A turf war has been going on in the capital over the powers of the LG and CM, with the Centre siding with the former and even issuing a gazette notification to clarify the powers of the Lt Governor.

As per the notification, only the LG has powers to deal with the matters of services, law, public order and land, and that he is not bound to consult the Delhi chief minister on these subjects.

A war has also been going on over the jurisdiction of the ACB and the matter is currently in the Supreme Court.

Delhi Police and ACB have recently come face-to-face after some of the former's men were arrested by the anti-graft unit for allegedly accepting bribe.

The move to induct policemen from Bihar also seems to be aimed at reducing ACB's reliance on Delhi Police as till now all its officers were derived from them.

The ACB, which is probing a number of high-profile case, was barred from registering any case against officers and political functionaries of the Central government which includes the Delhi Police which works under MHA.

However, the Delhi High Court held that the ACB of Government of NCT has the jurisdiction to arrest policemen while dismissing the bail application of a head constable who was arrested by ACB in a corruption case.

Speaking at a special Assembly session last week, Kejriwal had said that the MHA notification conferring more powers on Lt Governor Jung was part of an "experiment" to take the country towards "dictatorship".

(With Agency inputs)

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