Essential documents burnt in DTC office fire; BJP alleges foul play

The BJP on Monday smelt a "conspiracy" behind the DTC office fire in which essential documents were destroyed, with its city unity chief Manoj Tiwari alleging it could be an attempt by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to hide his "failures".

Officials said essential documents, furniture and electronic equipment were gutted in the fire at the Delhi Transport Corporation office near the Civil Lines metro station before it was brought under control by 10.20 am.

"I can smell a conspiracy. It could be a conspiracy by Arvind Kejriwal to hide his failures. They cannot escape by burning details of wrongdoings at the government office. Tell me why you could not buy a single bus till now and now you burnt all the documents," Tiwari tweeted in Hindi.

Former AAP MLA Kapil Mishra, who rebelled against the party and has now been fielded by the BJP from Model Town assembly constituency, concurred with Tiwari and alleged the Transport Department is the "most corrupt".

"A losing government is busy in erasing marks of its scams. The transport department has been the most corrupt department under the Kejriwal government," Mishra tweeted in Hindi.

"This desperation to burn files is first indicator of Kejriwal defeat in this election," he alleged.

No immediate reaction was available from the Aam Aadmi Party.

Officials said a call about the fire was received at 8.38 am, following which eight fire tenders rushed to the spot initially.

The fire started from the server room on the first floor and later spread to eight other rooms located on the same floor of the building, said Atul Garg, Director of Delhi Fire Services.

The blaze later spread to another room on the second floor of the same building, he said.

In total, 26 fire tenders were rushed to the spot, he added.

Several essential documents, furniture and electronic equipments were damaged in the fire which was brought under control by 10.20 am, the official said.