New Delhi: The war between the Delhi government and Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung over appointment of officers in the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) seems to be escalating with every passing day.
A day after Delhi Police Joint Commissioner Mukesh Kumar Meena was appointed as head of the ACB by LG Jung, the officer was on Tuesday asked by the Director (Vigilance) to go back to the Delhi Police.
In a letter to Meena, Sukesh Kumar Jain, Secretary and Director, Vigilance, Government of Delhi, said that no post of joint commissioner exists in the Delhi ACB.
“As there is no such sanctioned post, you cannot take charge or hold a non-existent post,” Jain wrote in the letter. “I am, therefore, directed to ask you to revert to the Delhi Police,” he added.
Delhi Govt Sec Vigilance write a letter to Jt CP MK Meena to not take charge of ACB as their is no post of Jt CP. pic.twitter.com/EV2ihHH8yS
— Jitender Sharma (@capt_ivane) June 9, 2015
On Monday, seeking to stamp his authority, LG Jung appointed Meena as the head of ACB superseding Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's hand-picked chief.
The Lt Governor also transferred seven inspectors of the Delhi Police to the ACB, days after the AAP government inducted five police officers from Bihar in the elite probe agency.
The ACB was till Monday headed by SS Yadav. Meena was serving as Joint Commissioner of New Delhi range and the LG's order said he has been given additional charge of ACB.
The Delhi government today said, “Following Director Vigilance's order sending MK Meena back to Delhi Police, SS Yadav to remain as ACB chief. SS Yadav will report to GNCTD as per the High Court ruling.”
Jung and the AAP government have been on a collision course on a number of issues including authority over ACB.
Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia slammed Jung for creating a new post of joint commissioner and questioned all the appointments.
"What is behind the conspiracy to create a new post of joint commissioner and appoint your own officer?"
"Has it been done due to fear that ACB will probe the CNG fitness scam," Sisodia tweeted. He alleged that the officer appointed by the LG to head the ACB had tried to "trap" him by trying to make suicide of a farmer in rally in Jantar Mantar in April as a murder.
Earlier, an Additional Commissioner-level officer used to head ACB but the LG has elevated the rank of head of the probe agency from Additional Commissioner to Joint Commissioner.
The inspectors who have been transferred to ACB are Braj Mohan, Kumar Kant Mishra, Vivekanand Jha, Rajkumar, Rajendra Prasad, Ricchpal Singh Meena and Puran Chand.
"Government has posted one Joint Commissioner and seven inspectors to augment the resources as per the agenda of the government. More officers will be posted in the ACB in due course of time to fight corruption," Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said.
(With Agency inputs)
