Delhi Govt to create strong investigation team

With many high profile graft cases are being handed over to the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), Delhi Government today said it was working towards creating a strong investigating team of honest officers to ensure fair probe in alleged irregularities.

"In coming days more big cases will be handed over to ACB. To deal with those cases the government is working towards forming a good investigative team," Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal told reporters here.

"In coming days, we will create more posts in the ACB. I will also appeal to the Lt Governer, who have always been supportive, to provide us with more officers," Kejriwal said.

He was speaking to reporters at a press conference here in which he ordered filing of criminal cases against Union minister Veerappa Moily, former minister Murli Deora, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani and others following complaints of irregularities in pricing of natural gas in KG basin.

He added that there will be more such cases in coming days and that he wanted police officers with strong investigation background from other states to work with the Delhi government.

"I want all honest officers who want to work for Delhi ACB to write to me. I will talk to their state government heads to bring them here," Kejriwal said.

He said that he had also asked the Central government for officers from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT).

"I had also asked officers from Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) since these (offences) are related to revenue and economic crime. They have not responded as of now. I hope they relieve the officers we have asked for," the Chief Minister added.

The AAP-led government had yesterday directed its Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) to register FIRs in three cases of alleged irregularities in Delhi Jal Board (DJB) which caused a loss of Rs 341 crore to the state exchequer.

Earlier, on the basis of Delhi government's request, ACB had registered an FIR to probe the multi-crore street lighting scam in which former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit's role has come under the scanner.

Following this, the government had asked ACB to probe alleged irregularities worth Rs 184 crore in the construction of the Ring Road bypass ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games.