'Delhi's anti-corruption helpline got only 282 calls'

The Delhi government's anti-corruption helpline '1031' has received 282 calls up to May 13, an RTI query has revealed.

The Right to Information (RTI), filed by Advocate Vivek Garg, also revealed that seven cases have been registered on receipt of complaints through the anti-corruption helpline.

"(Arvind) Kejriwal's government is trying to mislead the people by giving wrong figures. If his government had claimed that the anti-corruption helpline had received over 1 lakh calls within a month, why did the anti corruption branch in its RTI reply state that it has received only 282 calls till now," Garg told IANS.

On being asked about the contradictory figures, a senior official from the Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) said, "The figures were only about the calls that we received.... not every call was relating to corruption."

According to the Delhi government, its anti corruption helpline had received over 1.25 lakh calls since its relaunch on April 5 this year and 25 erring officials have been arrested.

The advocate had also sought to know from the Delhi government's ACB which company was operating the helpline and what it was costing the government to operate such a helpline.

The ACB replied to these questions by stating that the information sought did not relate to it. "Hence the same may be sought from the directorate of vigilance of the Delhi government."