Two Danics officers suspended for expenditure on ads by Delhi govt

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The Centre has suspended two DANICS officers in connection with alleged "unproductive expenditure" on advertisements by the Delhi government, officials said.

They said Shamim Akhtar and Manoj Dwivedi previously worked as the director of the Directorate of Information and Publicity, Delhi government.

In separate orders issued on Friday, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said Akhtar and Dwivedi were suspended with immediate effect by the president in exercise of the powers conferred by the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965.

Akhtar, a 1996-batch officer of the Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Island Civil Services (DANICS), is currently posted at the Urban Development department of the Delhi government, while Dwivedi (DANICS, 2003) was last posted in the Andman and Nicobar Islands.

Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena had in January this year recommended to the MHA disciplinary action against the two officers.

The MHA is the competent authority to take action against DANICS officers.

A complaint in the matter was lodged by former Delhi Congress president Ajay Maken with the LG office in 2016 for the recovery of alleged "unproductive expenditure" on advertisements of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)government in Delhi, amounting to the tune of Rs 97 crore, officials said.

The complainant had accused the AAP government of allegedly publishing political advertisements in the garb of government promotions.

The complaint was examined by the Supreme Court mandated Committee on Content Regulation on Government Advertising, CCRGA, they said.

The committee in its report had directed the recovery of the expenditure incurred on issuing advertisements on various occasions published outside Delhi, advertorials carrying AAP's name, advertisements with Delhi chief minister's views on issues in other states, the officials said.

On March 29, 2017, the matter was placed before the then Delhi LG who directed to recover the payments already released and freeze fresh payments. He also ordered an inquiry and fixing of responsibility.

The Directorate of Information and Publicity (DIP) secretary issued a notice to AAP on March 30, 2017 for reimbursement of Rs 97 crore incurred on specific advertisements.

The AAP challenged the notice before the Delhi High Court. The matter is still pending before the court.