The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Monday said it will record sacked Delhi Minister Kapil Mishra’s detailed statement after he alleged that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had influenced the probe into a Rs 400 crore tanker scam.
Mishra visited the ACB office this morning and shared evidence related to the tanker scam that dates back to Sheila Dikshit’s tenure as Chief Minister.
“Mishra has said that he wants to record a detailed statement and we will give him time. We will record his detailed statement,” ACB chief Mukesh Kumar Meena said.
Mishra has sought time for recording his statement and once it is recorded, action will be taken as per law, Meena added.
Mishra has alleged that the investigation into the tanker scam was repeatedly delayed and influenced by Kejriwal and “his two men”. While Mishra claimed that he has shared “all the evidence”, Meena didn’t divulge the details and maintained that his team is in touch with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator.
It may be noted that Dikshit was “examined” by the ACB officials in August 2016, in connection with her alleged involvement in the tanker scam besides being handed over a set of 18 written questions.
“She (Dikshit) has already been examined. There are many documents that are being analysed. Most of the statements have been recorded and after recording Mishra’s statement, we will decide the future course,” Meena added.
Till some time back, Mishra had been accusing the BJP of shielding Dikshit in the case and Monday he alleged that the AAP Government tried to shield her.
“I told the officials how Kejriwal deliberately delayed the report and how public money was misused,” he alleged.
“Also, I told them how Kejriwal, along with his two men, affected the tanker scam probe. The Government also tried to shield Dikshit time and again. The ACB will call me again for a detailed investigation,” he told reporters after the meeting with ACB officials.
Meena, however, said they haven’t received any complaint in connection with Mishra’s allegations of Kejriwal taking Rs 2 crore from Health Minister Satyender Jain.
The Kejriwal-led AAP Government had in June 2015 constituted a fact-finding committee to go into alleged irregularities in procuring some 385 stainless steel water tankers by the DJB.
The Delhi Government in June 2016 sent a report of the fact-finding committee to the then lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung following which an FIR was registered in case.