PAC members contemplating privilege action against Home Secretary Mehrishi

Rajiv Mehrishi had conveyed to PAC that he would be travelling, would not be able to attend meeting

Members of Public Accounts Committee (PAC) are contemplating privilege action against Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi for "not appearing" before the panel despite being in the city.

Mehrishi was supposed to appear before a PAC's sub committee headed by BJD MP Bhartruhari Mahtab, but in his place another senior officer from the Ministry appeared before the panel, sources who were present in the meeting said.

The Home Secretary had conveyed to the PAC that he would be travelling and would not be able to attend the meeting on the issue of Commonwealth Games.

Apparently, Mehrishi cancelled his tour and stayed put in Delhi to be with Home Minister Rajnath Singh who returned from Uttar Pradesh after a few weeks of electioneering there, the sources said.

Peeved over the Secretary's absence in the meeting, the MPs are now contemplating moving a privilege motion to the Speaker in this regard.

The meeting was held to examine actions taken on the Comptroller and Auditor-General report on alleged irregularities in conducting the Commonwealth Games, a source said.

Barring Mehrishi, all other senior officials including — CBI Director, officials of Delhi Development Authority, New Delhi Municipal Corporation and top officials of Delhi Police attended the meeting, sources added.