Delhi Lokayukta Manmohan Sarin has directed Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit to submit her verbal and written evidence along with a list of witnesses in response to a complaint against her regarding misuse of public fund.
Former chairman of the MCD Standing Committee Vijender Gupta had alleged that the minister had misused government funds during the 2008 Delhi Assembly elections for gaining political mileage.
The Lokayukta, who had earlier turned down the petition of the Chief Minister to reject the case, passed the order under Section 10 of Delhi Lokayukta and Uplokayukta Act, 1995, while setting out the procedural aspects.
The Chief Minister told The Hindu on Friday that there were three complaints – all by BJP leaders – in the case and her lawyers were presenting the case. She reiterated that no advertisements were placed or hoardings erected with Government money after the notification of the elections.
Meanwhile, the complainant, who is also a BJP councillor, has also been asked to present his verbal and written evidences along with list of witnesses within 10 days. These would also be cross examined by the defendants.
The next hearing of the case would be on January 29.
The Lokayukta has also directed the editor of a Hindi daily to present the original article of a former Director of Directorate of Publicity and Information of Delhi Government around which the case is based. Besides the correspondence related to this article has also been sought.
Mr. Gupta had charged that the Chief Minister had got hoardings worth crores of rupees put up across the city at the cost of the Government and also spent crores on outdoor advertisements for political propaganda.
