DDCA controversy: Subramanium says Delhi govt probe legal

Gopal Subramanium is heading a probe panel into the alleged irregularities in DDCA

Former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium on Monday said the Delhi government had the same right as a state legislature and could order a probe into the Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA) controversy.

Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung had said such a probe by the city government was not legal.

Subramanium, who is heading a probe panel into the alleged irregularities in DDCA, also strongly pitched for live telecast of the proceedings, to ensure transparency. Subramanium stated, "In view of the express words of Article 239AA of the Constitution of India and in particular the Legislative Assembly being treated as a state legislature for the purposes of Article 324 to Article 326 and 329 of the Constitution, I am left in no doubt that this is a state legislature for all practical purposes."

The Delhi government trained its guns on Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal trashed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)'s demands for an apology. "BJP almost begging me for an apology. Sorry. I won't oblige them. Let Jaitley ji be cross-examined in defamation cases. Let truth prevail," Kejriwal tweeted.

In another development, suspended BJP member of Parliament Kirti Azad on Monday demanded a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the DDCA graft allegations and insisted that his fight was against corruption in the cricket body and not against Finance Minister Jaitley.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said the Delhi government's initial findings had found massive irregularities and called for a more detailed probe. Both Kejriwal and Sisodia made it clear that the probe under Subramanium has just started and Jaitley has not been declared taint-free, as was being claimed by the BJP.

In a series of tweets since morning, Kejriwal said, "No clean chit ever given by any Del govt probe. That report confirmed several instances of wrongdoings but did not fix responsibility."; "It didn't mention ANYONE's name and recommended Enquiry Commission to fix responsibility, which we have done now."

Sisodia said, "We just want Jaitley to say whether or not he was the DDCA President from 1999-2013? If yes, why is he running away from a probe?"