Embezzlement in erstwhile Slum and JJ Dept: 10 officers

The city government has been pursuing with Delhi Police and CBI to initiate investigation and conclude on modus operandi of embezzlement of funds which allegedly took place before the department was taken over by it.

After taking over the department from MCD and converting it into Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), the Delhi government had asked the CBI in October 2010 to investigate the matter.

"The Board was constituted to streamline the functioning of the activities of Slum & JJ Department under MCD as it was marred with rampant corruption and nothing moved during the period when controlled by MCD," an official release issued by the Chief Minister's Office said.

The clarification came after Delhi BJP alleged a scam to the tune of Rs 20 crore in the Urban Shelter Improvement Board which is constructing night shelters for poor people and demanded that Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna order a probe.

In a statement, Gupta demanded the Lt. Governor order a high level and transparent enquiry of the activities of entire Urban Shelter Improvement Board during the last decade so that the people may come to know about this new bungling.

Gupta also demanded that ministers of Delhi government who allegedly protected these officers should also be questioned.

The release said the city government immediately on constitution of DUSIB started looking into the records and decided to approach Delhi Police at various levels to seek proper investigation of embezzlement of cash by an Assistant Director in connivance with other staff members.

"The City Government on its part suspended the Assistant Director concerned and 9 other officers involved in the matter," it said.

The release also said the embezzlement took place when Slum & JJ Department was functioning under MCD and accused the then officials of "negligence", an apparent dig at the BJP which ruled the MCD in 2010.

The Delhi Government has "demanded a comprehensive investigation as one may smell fictitious accounts or transactions and collusion of officers with the banks and others," the release said.