AAP govt refuses to allow Meena to take charge as ACB chief

Delhi govt informed Meena that he cannot join the ACB as there is no sanctioned post of Joint Commissioner in the probe agency

Amid its bitter confrontation with Lt Governor, AAP government today refused to allow Joint Commissioner of Delhi Police M K Meena, an LG-appointee, to take charge as chief of the elite Anti-Corruption Branch.

Delhi government informed Meena that he cannot join the ACB as there is no sanctioned post of Joint Commissioner in the probe agency but the defiant official said he will follow the Lieutenant Governor's order.

The AAP government's decision not to allow Meena to take charge came on a day Delhi Police arrested Law Minister Jitendra Singh Tomar on charges of cheating and fraud in obtaining law degree.

Lt Governor Najeeb Jung yesterday had appointed the joint commissioner of Delhi Police as the head of the Anti-Corruption Branch superseding Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's hand-picked chief S S Yadav.

Earlier, an Additional Commissioner-level officer used to head ACB but the LG yesterday had elevated the rank of head of the probe agency from Additional Commissioner to Joint Commissioner.

Meena is currently serving as Joint Commissioner of New Delhi range and the LG's order said he has been given additional charge of ACB.

The Arvind Kejriwal government has slammed LG's move to appoint Meena.

The AAP government and Jung had last month locked horns over the appointment of Delhi's Acting Chief Secretary, sparking a turf war.

"There has been illegal attempts to create the post of a new chief of the Anti-Corruption Branch by creating an Emergency like situation. They are creating such a situation in order to bring the ACB under their jurisdiction. This is unconstitutional," Deputy Chief Mnister Manish Sisodia said today

"What is behind the conspiracy to create a new post of joint commissioner and appoint your own officer?

"Has it been done due to fear that ACB will probe the CNG fitness scam," he said yesterday.

He alleged that the officer appointed by the LG to head the ACB had tried to make suicide of a farmer in rally in Jantar Mantar in April as a murder "to fix" him.