AAP dismisses Shunglu Committee report, which put Arvind Kejriwal in the dock, as 'mud-slinging'

The three-member Shunglu Committee, headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General VK Shunglu, was set up by then Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.

New Delhi: Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain on Thursday dismissed the report furnished by the Shunglu Committee as "mud-slinging" and alleged that "no irregularity" has been committed by the Aam Aadmi Party government.

He claimed that officers were forced to write "false notes" in the report.

In a major setback to AAP government, the Shunglu Committee formed by former Lt Governor Najeeb Jung to look into decisions taken by the government has questioned several appointments made, including the appointment of Health Minister Satyendar Jain's daughter Soumya Jain in Mohalla Clinic project.

The committee reviewed 404 files of the Delhi government and found several irregularities with various appointments.

"I have not seen the report, but as far as we are concerned, there is no illegality or irregularity... Our government has worked as per the Constitution in force till August 4, 2016. After that the High Court made some amendment to it," Jain said.

He also rejected allegation on the appointment of his daughter as "mission director" of Delhi State Health Mission, saying it was "all lies". The approval for this appointment is made by the Centre, he added.

On the findings of the Committee, Jain alleged, "Officers were called by the LG, made to sit and write false notes in it under duress."

The term of former Lt Governor Najeeb Jung had witnessed a continuous war of words between the LG Office and the Arvind Kejriwal government over several issues.

"This is all mud-slinging. In fact, the probe should be done to find out why the files were suppressed for six months during Jung 'saheb's' time. We had targeted 1,000 mohalla clinics by December 31, 2016, but, they sat on the files for six months," he said.

"We did nothing wrong or illegal but what was within our authority. If the LG had thought, he could have changed it, then he could have changed it. We did what we deemed fit," Jain said.

Referring to Jain's daughter, the committee said in its report: “Soumya, who is an architect, was made an adviser to Mission Director, Delhi State Health Mission. However, she asserted her expertise with regard to Mohalla Clinics even though her CV does not support her claim. Second, the memorandum of Association of State Health Society (Delhi) and rules and bylaws do not support such appointment.”

The three-member Shunglu Committee, headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) VK Shunglu, was set up by then Lt Governor Najeeb Jung after Delhi High Court gave primacy to the LG in Delhi administrative affairs in August last year.

The LG office has called over 400 files on decisions taken by the AAP government in Delhi, for review.