Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal on Friday lodged a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) against two of her predecessors — Barkha Shukla and Kiran Walia — and former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, accusing the three Congress leaders of financial fraud.
Ms. Maliwal said that financial irregularities and misappropriation of funds run into crores and includes an amount of Rs.50 lakh that was swindled in the name of the December 16 gangrape victim in the immediate aftermath of her death.
The complaint was lodged days after the ACB booked Ms. Maliwal under anti-graft law in connection with alleged illegal recruitments in the women's panel, on a complaint filed by Ms. Shukla.
Ms. Shukla and Ms. Walia dismissed the allegations, the latter threatened legal action.
Allegations
In the complaint, Ms. Maliwal said that the alleged irregularities came to the DCW’s notice “while pursuing the files of the previous commission”.
“Instances of gross financial irregularities and high misappropriation of government funds was done by previous chairpersons Barkha Shukla Singh and Kiran Walia, with some instances prima facie being carried out under directions of then Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit,” the complaint reads.
The aforementioned irregularities were carried out between 2007 and 2015, said the complaint.
It also termed the appointment of an MLA (Ms. Walia and Ms. Shukla were both part of he Delhi Assembly when they were DCW heads) as the Commission's chairperson as a corrupt action.
“While holding the post of chairperson her (Ms. Shukla’s) conduct amounted to misusing of public office with aim to benefit certain individuals. Every year, a majority of the budget of the DCW was spent on organising functions and giving out ads, which were criticised by audit reports time and again,” the complaint said.
Dismissing these allegations, Ms. Shukla said the complaint was “politically motivated” and claimed that during her tenure, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had asked her to go slow on cases against his party leaders Kumar Vishwas and Somnath Bharti.
Talking to The Hindu , Ms. Walia said the allegations of financial fraud were untrue and she would initiate legal action soon.
Ms. Dikshit is currently in Lucknow for the UP assembly elections campaign.
Instances of gross financial irregularities and misappropriation of government funds was done by previous chairpersons Barkha Shukla Singh and Kiran Walia, with some instances prima facie being carried out under directions of then CM Shiela DikshitSwati Maliwal’s complaint to ACB