While recommending framing of guidelines for publication of Government advertisements, the Delhi lokayukta has recommended to President Pranab Mukherjee that a caution be administered to the Delhi Chief Minister for misusing public funds in Government advertisements for party purposes.
Justice Manmohan Sarin also recommended to the President to advise Dikshit to reimburse herself or through her party a sum of Rs 11 crore, which is half the cost of advertisements issued ahead 2008 Assembly election.
The CM was holding charge of the Department of Information and Publicity when the advertisement campaign was carried out. The lokayukta also recommended framing of guidelines for publication of Government advertisements regarding developmental works, incorporation of safeguards to prevent misuse of public funds.
Justice Sarin said, “Besides being Chief Minister and Minister in-charge for Information and Publicity, Dikshit kept a strict control over all the advertisements issued by various departments/Ministries of the Delhi Government and was thus directly responsible.”
When her reaction was sought, the CM told PTI that “I have not read the (lokayukta) order. I do not know about the charges. let the order come to me. But I want to say that I have no guilt complex.”
The order came after a complaint was filed by Vijender Gupta former State BJP president alleging that the CM had abused her position by hatching a plan in 2007 to misuse public funds for an ad campaign to gain political mileage in 2008 Assembly polls.
In its order, Justice Sarin also said, “The pattern of ads published by Delhi government and Congress Party clearly establishes a proximate and inextricable nexus between the two. The advertisements issued by the Delhi government, on a particular subject, over a period of time in the election year culminated in Congress party advertisements on the same subject, in the same election year.”