The Arvind Kejriwal Government on Monday approved setting up of one member Commission of Enquiry under former Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium to probe alleged irregularities in Capital’s cricket body, Delhi & District Cricket Association (DDCA).
Also, the Cabinet decided to call a special session of the Delhi Assembly on Tuesday to discuss alleged irregularities in the DDCA and the CBI raid at the Chief Minister Office at Delhi Secretariat.
The decisions were taken at a Cabinet meeting presided by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. “Delhi Cabinet resolves to set up Commission of Enquiry on DDCA scam. Special session of Assembly tomorrow (Tuesday) to discuss DDCA scam and CBI raids on Delhi Secretariat,” Kejriwal tweeted.
This would be third special session of the Delhi Assembly, convened by the CM in his 10 months rule.
Earlier, the Delhi Assembly’s special session was convened on May 26-27 that debated the Union Home Ministry’s notification asserting that lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung will have the final say in transfer and posting of bureaucrats.
The second special session was convened on August 3 that debated the deteriorating law and order situation and women’s safety and passed a resolution for setting up Commission of Enquiry on women safety and security in the Capital.
“We will present a resolution in the House to approve setting up of the Commission of Enquiry,” said Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia after the Cabinet meeting.
The decision to form the commission of enquiry came amid AAP’s fierce attack on Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over alleged irregularities in the DDCA during his 13-year tenure as its chief. Jaitley has strongly rubbished the allegations.
Following a CBI raid in Delhi Secretariat in connection with charges against Kejriwal’s Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar, AAP has been claiming that the Central agency carried out the searches to target the AAP chief and was looking for a file relating to alleged graft in DDCA.
Since then, the party has been demanding resignation of Jaitley.
However, experts said the Delhi Government cannot set up Commission of Enquiry against DDCA as the body was incorporated under the Indian Companies Act VII of 1913 on February 19, 1936, by then Registrar of Joint Stock Companies in the name of DDCA limited.
The decision to appoint the committee came a month after an AAP Government-appointed probe committee recommended immediate suspension of the DDCA by the BCCI for alleged irregularities including financial bungling. The Delhi Government panel had suggested that an interim committee of professional cricketers should manage affairs of the game in the Capital.
Also, the committee had recommended the Government to appoint a Commission of Enquiry under the Commission of Enquiries Act while mentioning about findings on DDCA’s alleged wrongdoings by various probe panels in the recent past, including the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO).
BJP MP Kirti Azad, who has been campaigning against alleged corruption in Delhi’s cricket body, demanded an ED and DRI probe into the affairs of DDCA.