Upset over the Delhi Government’s failure to defend him in connection with a case related to conversion of industrial sheds from leasehold to freehold, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s another trusted lieutenant Chetan Bhushan Sanghi, a 1988 batch IAS officer, is said to have gone on a long leave at a time when CM’s man Friday Rajendra Kumar is facing CBI action.
This has aggravated the problems of the ruling party as Sanghi used to handle six departments - PWD, industries, vigilance, DSIIDC, Urban Development and local Bodies, said sources, adding that the Government’s working could be affected in the coming days.
Top sources told The Pioneer that Sanghi was not happy with the AAP Government as they did not protect him. “Prior to the registration of case against him, Sanghi had reportedly requested Home Minister Satyendra Jain to intervene in his case. He is also said to have told both Jain and Kumar that the Government should defend him as he had openly supported it in framing key policies.
The source said Sanghi had been insisting that the Government should clear the conversion rule of the industrial sheds from back date through its Cabinet decision. “But the Government had refused to take any such decision.”
According to sources, Sanghi was at one point of time very close to Kejriwal and his team. Sanghi is said to have played a key role in preparing an enquiry report on the functioning of the Delhi District & Cricket Association (DDCA).
He was directly involved in framing proposals related to conversion of leasehold to freehold for industrial sheds, regularisation of unauthorised colonies and restructuring of the Vigilance Department by creating eight new posts of special Vigilance Commissioners. He had a plan to strengthen the anti-corruption branch. He helped the Government to take several decisions that was beyond their powers.
The ACB had recently registered a FIR against Sanghi and officials of the Delhi State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation limited (DSIIDC) in the case related to the alleged “scam in conversion of over 360 industrial sheds from leasehold to freehold”.
The case was registered under sections of the Indian Penal Code and Prevention of Corruption Act. The FIR was registered following a complaint by advocate and RTI activist Vivek Garg to the ACB in August.