Delhi Lokayuta has taken suo motu cognisance of a sting operation by a news channel purportedly showing eight MCD councillors allowing illegal construction in certain parts of the city in return for money.
Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin, in an order, asked the news channel, which aired the sting operation, to provide him with the original recordings of the footage by December 19, based on which further action will be taken.
He also asked a Hindi newspaper, which carried the story, to provide details of the report.
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“As per press report, in the sting operation shown by the TV channel, these councillors were recorded as demanding illegal gratification ranging from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 10 lakh,” the Lokayukta said in the order.
Eight councillors - six from BJP and two from Congress, including a former Mayor - were caught on camera in the sting operation, following which they were suspended from their parties.
Former Mayor Jayasree Panwar, who is a councillor from Shahpur Jat, and Bina Dhakolia, a councillor from Ambedkar Nagar were suspended by Delhi Congress chief J P Aggarwal following the expose.
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BJP suspended six of its councillors - Satyashwari Joshi (Vinod Nagar), Anita Koli (Pooth Kalan), Ravi Prakash Sharma (Preet Vihar), Subhash Jain (Kardampuri), Ajit Tokas (Munirka) and Manju Gupta (Nand Nagri) - from the party following the allegations.
In case the allegations in the reports are found to be correct, a case for inquiry under section 7 of the Delhi Lokayukta and Upalokayukta Act 1995 will be initiated, the Lokayukta said in the order.