Delhi LG to take legal action against AAP MLAs for allegations of corruption

Avinash Prabhakar

New Delhi, Aug 31 (IANS) Delhi Lt Governor V.K. Saxena has decided to take strict legal action against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders who charged Saxena with corruption during his tenure as Chairman of Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).

According to LG office source, the action will be taken against AAP leaders - Saurabh Bhardwaj, Atishi, Durgesh Pathak and Jasmine Shah among others for defamatory and false allegations of corruption by them, attributed to his tenure as KVIC Chairman.

These leaders of AAP have recently claimed that LG was involved in a scam during demonetization in 2016 and demanded a CBI inquiry. The source said that the CBI has already inquired into the case at the behest of KVIC itself and has filed the charge sheet as well.

The people on the basis of whose statements these allegations are being manufactured against the LG are the two people who have prima facie been found to be engaged in corruption at KVIC after demonetization by CBI, the source said.

He said further that AAP is using corrupt people to divert attention from their widespread misdeeds that includes massive corruption in education, liquor and PWD amounting to thousands of crores. The LG has taken a serious view of these blatantly false, defamatory and obviously diversionary allegations made by these AAP leaders and has decided to take legal action against them so that the AAP does not get away with its characteristic shoot and scoot, the source said.

What is the case

After the Centre demonetized currency notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 on November 8, 2016, KVIC issued a circular on November 9, 2016, stating that the "old currency notes of the denomination of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 will not be accepted by any sales outlets and establishments with immediate effect."

Later, it came to notice that certain demonetized notes were deposited in the account of Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan (KGB), New Delhi, on various dates. The matter was referred to the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of KVIC for investigation and action. The CBI was also informed accordingly and on the basis of this information, a joint surprise check was conducted by them on April 6, 2017.

As per a source, after preliminary investigation, the CVO recommended the suspension and transfer of the four officials - AK Garg, Manager, Ajay Gupta, Sales In-charge, Sanjeev Kumar Malik, Salesman-III (Head Cashier), Pradeep Yadav, LDC (Head Cashier) on April 17, 2017. All these officials were suspended and were transferred to different places.

The CVO, in its report, stated that during November 10, 2016 to December 31, 2016, a total amount of Rs 22,17,000 was deposited in the KGB bank account in Delhi in which 2140 notes were of Rs 500 denomination and 1147 notes were of Rs 1000 denomination.

The KVIC on May 29, 2017 informed to the CBI about the preliminary investigation done by CVO and action taken against the four officials.

However, the probe agency found the involvement of only two persons, Sanjeev Malik and Pradeep Yadav, in depositing the demonetized notes and registered an FIR on July 10, 2017 against them. The CBI found that only Rs 17,07,000 was deposited in the form of demonetized currency notes in the account of KGB, New Delhi, instead of Rs 22,17,000 as reported by CVO in its enquiry.

However, the CBI concluded that out of the total cash deposit of Rs 22,17,000 in the denomination of Rs 1000 and Rs 500, a total amount of Rs 5,10,000 was legal tender and not in the form of demonetized currency notes. Hence, the amount was reduced to Rs 17,07,000.

The CBI has already filed charge sheet against the two accused - Sanjeev Kumar Malik and Pradeep Yadav - and the matter is pending in the Rouse Avenue Court, New Delhi, the source said.

The source added that the matter is being falsely touted by the AAP is with regards to just Rs 17.07 lakh as against the claims of Rs 1400 crore which is nothing but an imagination for which they will face the consequences.