The Hindu : New Delhi News : Court refuses relief to Delhi Govt. officer

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Sunday, Dec 28, 2008
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Court refuses relief to Delhi Govt. officer

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has refused to grant an injunction against arrest to a former Joint Director of the Delhi Government’s Social Welfare Department in a case of alleged scam in purchase of various articles for children put up at an institution at Majnu Ka Tila in the Capital.

Seeking a stay on her client’s arrest, counsel for Joint Director Shashi Kaushal argued that certain junior officers of the Department were responsible for alleged irregularities in the purchase of the articles. Therefore, she should be given a protection against arrest.

Countering her contention, counsel for the Anti-Corruption Branch of the Delhi Government which is investigating the case, Naveen Sharma, argued that the Joint Director had a direct hand in the scam as she had given the go-ahead for purchase of the articles despite an objection raised by an official through a noting on the file concerned.

He submitted that the case was in the category where the payment was made to the supplier even without any of the articles ordered for purchase reaching the children’s home.

The scam is estimated at Rs.28 lakh but might reach up to Rs.1 crore by the time the investigation is over.

Counsel further submitted that there were a total of 17 children in the home at the time but the Social Welfare Department had awarded a tender for purchase of articles for as many as 70 children by fudging figures.

Refusing to stop the investigating agency from arresting the accused, Justice Veena Birbal asked it to place before her on January 7 a detailed report about the investigation conducted into the allegations.

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