NDMC hits out at AAP govt over arrest of municipal engineers

Hitting out at the AAP dispensation over the arrest of two NDMC engineers by its anti-corruption branch (ACB), the BJP-led municipal corporation today said if Delhi government "doesn't" take action against its officials, why should the civic body do it.
NDMC's Standing Committee Chairman Mohan Bhardwaj said this during the meeting of the panel at the Civic Centre here.
"If Delhi government doesn't take action against its officials, why should we do it. Having said that, though our job is to protect our employees from false cases, any erring employee will be dealt with accordingly as per the municipal laws," he said.

The meeting this afternoon was briefly interrupted when a group of municipal engineers protested in support of the arrested employees outside the meeting hall, demanding action from NDMC on the matter.
Following the commotion, Bhardwaj, Municipal Commissioner P K Gupta and Leader of Opposition Mukesh Goel went outside and held an audience with the group of engineers.
The protesting engineers have alleged that the arrest of the engineers was "motivated and prejudiced" and claimed that the Delhi Municipal Corporation Act "bars any other external agency or court from taking cognisance of any violation of the DMC Act."

Under the banner of 'Forum of MCD Engineers', they also submitted a representation to the Standing Committee.

Bhardwaj, who assured the protesting engineers of all help, later said in the meeting, "If they are claiming that the two engineers were falsely implicated, then we will wait for charges to be proven true, before taking any action."
Assistant Engineer Jagat Bhushan Meena, Junior Engineer Sunil Kumar Paharia, and Beldar (construction worker) Dhananjay Kumar were arrested by Delhi government's ACB allegedly for not taking any action against illegal construction in Sector 15-16 of Rohini, Additional Commissioner of ACB, S S Yadav, has said.
A complaint was received by ACB alleging "large-scale" illegal construction at DDA Janta flats in Sector 15-16 of Rohini, by private builders acting in connivance with NDMC officials, Yadav said.

The Standing Committee also "condemned" allegations of corruption levelled by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and "rejected" the AAP government's claims that "funds meant for salaries were diverted in budget" to make "swimming pools and stadiums."
Kejriwal during his meeting with sanitation workers on June 8 had alleged massive corruption in the three BJP-led civic bodies. Deputy CM Manish Sisodia had also alleged diversion of budgetary funds by NDMC's Standing Committee.
One councillor even proposed to the committee that "defamation proceedings" should be initiated against Kejriwal for making such broad allegations.