ACB quizzes Delhi minister in water tankers scam

The Anti-Corruption Bureau on Monday questioned Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra for two hours in the Rs 400 crore water tanker case during which, he said, he was asked not even once about the then Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's alleged involvement.

Mishra said the whole focus of the anti-corruption body seemed to be on framing him or Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the case.

Earlier, in response to an ACB notice sent in June, the Aam Aadmi Party leader arrived at the agency's headquarters in north Delhi's Civil Lines area, accompanied by his party supporters.

Through a Twitter post, Mishra said he was questioned by six ACB officers -- comprising a Deputy Commissioner of Police, two Assistant Commissioners of Police and three Inspectors.

"Not even a single question (asked) about Sheila Dikshit or her tenure about which the entire report is. Only focus was to frame me or Arvind Kejriwal," Mishra tweeted.

"One DCP, 2 ACPs, 3 inspectors, I asked (them) have you read report against Sheila Dikshit sent by me on which FIR has filed. All except one said 'NO'," he further tweeted.

Mishra complained against Dikshit on June 13 regarding alleged irregularities in the hiring of 385 stainless steel water tankers by the Delhi Jal Board in 2012 when she was Chief Minister of Delhi.

In another tweet, the Water Minister said: "Seems the ACB is all set (to) give a clean chit to Sheila Dikshit. They are instructed to protect Sheila and frame Kejriwal (in the scam)."

Earlier in the day, before leaving for the ACB office here, Mishra took on the central government: "It has been suppressing evidence of corruption against Dikshit under a deal with the Congress."

"Modi-ji, we have given you all the evidence against Sheila Dikshit. Then why are you saving her? What is your deal with corrupt Congress," he asked in a tweet.

"You control the ACB and CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation). If you find any evidence of corruption against us, put us in jail. But why are you suppressing the evidence against Dikshit that we gave you," Mishra said in another tweet.

The AAP government in June 2015 set up a five-member fact-finding committee to probe alleged irregularities in the water tankers case.

The committee report, submitted to Kejriwal in August 2015, highlighted alleged corruption in the awarding of tenders.

It recommended filing of a First Information Report (FIR) against Dikshit and a probe by the CBI and the ACB.

On June 20, the ACB registered an FIR not only against Dikshit but also against Kejriwal.

The FIR against Kejriwal was registered on a complaint by Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Vijender Gupta "for causing delay in the probe and not cancelling the contract for water tankers".

--IANS

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