Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena will take legal action against AAP leaders, including MLAs Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Durgesh Pathak and Delhi Dialogue Commission (DDC) vice chairman Jasmine Shah, for levelling “false” corruption charges against him.
The Arvind Kejriwal-led party is up in arms against the L-G after Pathak alleged in the Assembly that Saxena, as Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) chairman, had put pressure on his employees to exchange `1,400 crore demonetised notes in 2016. Raj Niwas officials pointed out the CBI has enquired into the case at the behest of KVIC only.
“The matter was probed by the CBI and the agency has already filed a charge sheet against two accused KVIC employees. The matter is pending in the Rouse Avenue Court,” they said.
“The people on the basis of whose statements these allegations are being manufactured against the LG are the two people who have prima facie been found to be engaged in corruption at KVIC after demonetisation by CBI. It is amply clear that a corrupt AAP is using corrupt people to divert attention from their widespread misdeeds that includes massive corruption in education, liquor and PWD amounting to thousands of crores,” they said.
“Saxena has taken a serious view of these blatantly false, defamatory and obviously diversionary allegations made by these AAP leaders and has decided to take legal action against them so that the AAP does not get away with its characteristic shoot and scoot,” sources said.
Officials pointed out at the time of demonetisation the KVIC issued a circular on November 9, 2016 stating that the old currency notes of Rs 1000 and Rs 500 will not be accepted by any sales outlets and establishments with immediate effect.
The sources stated that certain demonetised notes were deposited in the account of Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan (KGB), New Delhi, on various dates. The matter was immediately referred to the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of KVIC for investigation and action. The CBI was also informed accordingly and on the basis of this information, a joint surprise check was conducted by them on April 06, 2017.
“After preliminary investigation, the CVO on April 17th, 2017 recommended the suspension and transfer of the four officials of KGB including AK Garg, Manager, Ajay Gupta, Sales In-charge, Sanjeev Kumar Malik, Salesman-III (Head Cashier), Pradeep Yadav, LDC (Head Cashier),” officials said.
“As per the advice of the CVO, all these four officers were immediately suspended and transferred to different places for conducting free and fair inquiry. The CVO, in its report, stated that during November 10, 2016 to December 31, 2016 a total amount of Rs 22,17,000 was deposited in the KGB bank account in Delhi in which 2140 notes were of Rs 500 denomination and 1147 notes were of Rs 1000 denomination,” they said.
“On May 29, 2017 KVIC informed the CBI about the preliminary investigation done by CVO and action taken against the four officials. CBI, after thorough investigation, found the involvement of only two persons, namely, Sanjeev Malik and Pradeep Yadav, both Head Cashier, in depositing the demonetised notes and registered an FIR on July 10, 2017 against them. The CBI, after investigation, found that only Rs 17,07,000 were deposited in the form of demonetized currency notes in the account of KGB, instead of Rs 22,17,000, as reported by CVO,” sources informed.
“The CBI, after scrutinizing the relevant cash deposit slips of KGB, concluded that out of the total cash deposit of Rs 22,17,000 in the denomination of Rs 1000 and Rs 500, a total amount of Rs 5,10,000- were legal tender and not in the form of demonetised currency notes. Hence, the amount was arrived at Rs 17,07,000. The CBI has already filed chargesheet against the two accused -Sanjeev Kumar Malik and Pradeep Yadav - and the matter is pending in the Rouse Avenue Court,” they stated.
“LG reiterated that the matter being falsely touted by the AAP is with regards to just Rs 17.07 lakh as against the claims of Rs 1400 crore which is nothing but a figment of imagination for which the habitual liars will face the consequences,” sources added.
According to sources in the Delhi Government, everyone accepts that a massive money laundering scam happened in KVIC during the Chairmanship of Saxena. "Two witnesses have given a signed statement that Vinai Saxena was the kingpin of this entire Rs 1400 Cr scam. Yet the CBI never made him an accused or called him even once for investigation. AAP is only demanding that Vinai Saxena’s role in this scam be thoroughly investigated and until that period he should resign as LG of Delhi. If he has nothing to hide, why is he resisting investigation? Law should apply equally for everyone," said the sources.