The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Wednesday initiated a probe to be headed by the L-G-appointed chief, Mukesh Kumar Meena, into the alleged irregularities in the procurement and sale of onions by the Delhi government.
While Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia accused Mr. Meena of acting ‘at the Centre’s behest’ and claimed that there was no wrongdoing in the process of procurement, Mr. Meena’s move came on the heels of a High Court directive asking both the Delhi government and the Centre not to initiate ‘coercive action against each other’.
Bharatya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vivek Garg had filed a complaint with the ACB alleging the scam and seeking a probe by the anti-graft body into it.
A five-member team has been formed to conduct the probe. Mr. Sisodia said the Delhi government was ready for any investigation into the procurement of onions, but wondered why the Centre was not forthcoming in ensuring a fair probe into the CNG fitness scam.
“We heard today that Modi ji has initiated an ACB probe into it. Mr. Meena openly says he has directions from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and even the Central government says the ACB is its,” Mr. Sisodia told reporters at the Secretariat.
Stating that ‘all the files related to the purchase of onions have been placed before the country and the media’, Mr. Sisodia said the government was readying to send the files to the PMO, but ‘wanted Modiji to ask Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung to send all the files’ related to the Rs. 100-crore CNG fitness scam to the commission of inquiry set up to probe it.
The Delhi government had on Sunday rubbished reports of any irregularities in the procurement and sale of onions at subsidised rates with Mr. Sisodia indicating that the government was mulling action against those trying to ‘defame’ it.
“They (the Centre and the L-G) are running away from the probe,” Mr. Sisodia said, adding that onions were procured from the SFAC (Small Farmers, Agri-Business Consortium), which is headed by the Central government, at Rs. 32.86 per kilogram.
“The Delhi government through its fair price shops, tried to make onions available to people at Rs. 30, even though onions were being sold through the Centre’s outlets at Rs. 38 to Rs. 40. Safal was selling onions at Rs. 38 to Rs. 40 while the DMS was selling at Rs. 35,” Mr. Sisodia added.
