Shunglu Committee exposed misuse of public money by AAP: BJP

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

New Delhi: A day after the three-member Shunglu Committee pointed out "gross abuse of power" by the Aam Aadmi Party government in its report, Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party president Manoj Tiwari on Thursday said that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal`s misuse of authority and public money stand exposed.

"After exposure by the Shunglu Committee report, it is clear that Arvind Kejriwal has misused public money and government appointments for his political benefit," Tiwari said in a statement.

He said that the misuse of public money in foreign tours was done with the intent of raising NRI (Non-Resident Indian) support and funds.NRI (Non-Resident Indian) support and funds.

"Firstly the appointment of Swati Maliwal as DCW (Delhi Commission of Women) head was wrong, and later the appointments in her office. All these are proof of this government`s misuse of authority," Tiwari added.Tiwari added.

The Shunglu Committee has flagged many decisions by the Delhi government, including the allotment of land to the AAP for its party office, appointment of Minister Satyendra Jain's daughter as "mission director" of Delhi State Health Mission and a number of purported AAP functionaries as "advisors".

The Committee also raised questions on the appointment of Nikunj Agarwal, a relative of Kejriwal`s wife, as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Delhi Health Minister.

The report observes that the genesis of the conflict lay in an April 2015 order issued by Kejriwal to all the departments.

It directed officers to take decisions without consulting the Lt Governor on all subjects that have been transferred to the Delhi Assembly under Article 239AA(3)a of the Indian Constitution.

The panel said the decision to allot land to the AAP to build a party office should be considered "null and void" and also questioned the allotment of residence to DCW chairperson Swati Maliwal.

The report which runs into over 100 pages deals with decisions, including appointment of certain individuals as advisors to the government, taken by Kejriwal and his Cabinet where it had no authority do so and without the LG's concurrence.

"In pursuance of the directions of the CM in April 2015, it became the practice among ministers not to obtain the approval of the LG and to provide approval at their level," it said.

Among other issues, the report raised questions on the government posting officers to the Anti-Corruption Branch, its decisions on transfer and appointments of officers, foreign travel undertaken by ministers without the LG's sanction and appointment of lawyers.

The three-member Committee, headed by former Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) VK Shunglu, was set up by the former Lt Governor Najeeb Jung after the Delhi High Court gave primacy to the LG in Delhi administrative affairs in August 2016.

The LG office has recalled over 400 files on decisions taken by the AAP government for review.

Jung had said that Kejriwal may face "criminal charges" over irregularities found by the panel.

(With Agency inputs)