Delhi Govt recommends either CBI or ACBI probe against Sheila in alleged water tanker scam

New Delhi: The Delhi Government today recommended either CBI or Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) probe against former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit in connection with an alleged water tanker scam running into Rs 400 crore.

The move came after Opposition leader in Delhi Assembly, Vijender Gupta demanded from Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to make the report of fact-finding committee public on the alleged scam which had "indicated" that Dikshit as the then Chairperson of Delhi Jal Board and other DJB members had indulged in "grave irregularities".

Addressing the House on the issue raised by Gupta, Water Minister Kapil Mishra said that he has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and urged them to order either CBI or ACB probe into the matter as both investigative agencies directly come under the Centre.

"I am requesting you to kindly handover this matter to CBI with the direction to lodge an FIR and take further appropriate action in accordance with law," Mishra said in his letter to the PM.

In the letter to Jung as well, the Water minister said that ACB is reporting to him directly and the city government has no control over it, adding that under these unusual circumstances which are prevalent in the government, he was requesting the Lt Governor to kindly handover this matter to ACB with the direction to lodge an FIR and take appropriate action in accordance with law.

"A bare perusal of the report (of fact-finding committee) indicates that the functionaries and the Members of the then Delhi Jal Board, including its then Chairperson/ Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, had indulged in grave irregularities.

"The report of the committee further suggests that the acts of omission and commissions by the the Delhi Jal Board under the Chairpersonship of Sheila Dikshit has resulted in loss of approximately Rs 400 crore to the exchequer," Mishra further said in letter.

Taking a dig at Gupta, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that the Opposition leader can take credit of "forcing" the Delhi Government to release the report of fact-finding committee, but dared him to get the FIR registered against Sheila Dikshit for her alleged involvement in the scam within next two months.

"After recommending either the CBI or ACB probe by the government, Gupta should assure us that he will now approach Prime Minister Narendra Modi and request him to order registration of FIR against Sheila Dikshit within two months?

"and if he fails to do so, he should then shave off half of his moustache and sit on dharna against the PM," Kejriwal said while responding to Gupta's allegations that the AAP Government was deliberately not releasing the committee's report to "shield" the former Delhi CM. P