Delhi govt sets up panel to probe FPS licence 'restoration'

Delhi Assembly today constituted a special inquiry committee to probe alleged irregularities in "restoring" the licence of a fair price shop here, including the "role" of Lt Governor Najeeb Jung in connection with it.
Jung reacted by quoting a couplet of Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, and asserted he restored the licence, cancelled last year, as an "appellate authority" after hearing arguments from all sides.
The committee comprises nine Aam Aadmi Party MLAs after its sole BJP face Jagdish Pradhan opted out. AAP MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj moved a resolution to this effect amid cries of "political vendetta" by Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta.

Interestingly, the move against Jung came during a two-day special session of the 70-member House that commenced today to discuss the working of the three BJP-controlled municipal corporations.
The case pertains to alleged irregularity in restoration of the cancelled licence of the provision store located in Sant Nagar area in north Delhi's Burari. Its license was cancelled following a raid by Delhi government in June last year.
Raising the issue, Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha alleged the licence was restored after the owner of the shop approached the Lt Governor.

He also alleged "bribery" in the whole episode.
The terms of reference of the committee include looking into the correctness or otherwise of restoration of the cancelled licence as ordered by Jung and also the procedure adopted by the authorities concerned in cancelling the licence.

Members of the committee are -- AAP MLAs Vishesh Ravi, Somnath Bharti, Amanatullah Khan, Rajesh Gupta, Rajendra Pal Gautam, Madan Lal, Nitin Tyagi, Narayan Dutt Sharma and Bhavna Gaur.
"On an appeal filed by the aggrieved widow shop-owner, Hon'ble Lt Governor as an Appellate Authority, after hearing all sides, including the Department of Food Supplies & Consumer Affairs, has passed a considered and detailed order, based on facts placed before him in his court, setting aside the cancellation of the licence of the Fair Price Shop and restoring the licence to the widow.
"As part of the court proceedings, Hon'ble Lt Governor also ordered the Commissioner of Police to have the complaint investigated in case there is any act of criminality by any person," the LG office said in a statement.