Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra countered the method of questioning adopted by the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB). Mishra, who was grilled for over two hours in the Rs 400-crore water tanker scam case, said “he was asked not even once about former Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit’s alleged involvement.”
Mishra said the whole focus of the anti-corruption body seemed to be on framing him or Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the case.
Earlier, in response to an ACB notice sent in June, the AAP leader arrived at the agency’s headquarters in North Delhi’s Civil lines area, accompanied by his party supporters.
Through a Twitter post, Mishra said he was questioned by six ACB officers — comprising a Deputy Commissioner of Police, two Assistant Commissioners of Police and three Inspectors.
“Not even a single question (asked) about Sheila Dikshit or her tenure about which the entire report is. Only focus was to frame me or Arvind Kejriwal,” Mishra tweeted.
“One DCP, 2 ACPs, 3 inspectors, I asked (them) have you read report against Sheila Dikshit sent by me on which FIR has been filed. All except one said ‘NO’,” he further tweeted.
Mishra complained against Dikshit on June 13 regarding alleged irregularities in the hiring of 385 stainless steel water tankers by the Delhi Jal Board in 2012.
In another tweet, the Water Minister said, “Seems the ACB is all set (to) give a clean chit to Sheila Dikshit. They are instructed to protect Sheila and frame Kejriwal (in the scam).”
In a Press statement, Mishra said he had constituted the fact-finding committee to look into the Water Tanker Distribution Management System soon after taking office.
Its report indicated that the then functionaries and members of Delhi Jal Board, including its then chairperson Sheila Dikshit had indulged in grave irregularities, said Mishra
“On August 28, 2015, I wrote a letter to the Chief Minister. The CM called me to his chamber. In my letter, I had expressed fears that I would be victimised because I was pursuing this case. The CM reassured me that he will stand like a rock behind me and that I should not fear from anything as long as I was fighting against corruption. He also directed me to take all steps necessary in this case without any fear,” said Mishra in his statement.
Mishra further said that it would have been counter-productive to refer this case to ACB because the case was likely to lead to involvement of former CM Dikshit and also BJP people who were members of DJB at that time and those BJP members who remained silent while in Opposition.
“By August, 2015, ACB was in illegal occupation of Modi Government. On June 8, Modi Government sent para-military forces and forcibly took over the ACB throwing the Constitution and law to the winds. After forcibly occupying the ACB, Modi Government posted a completely rogue officer Mukesh Meena as its head,” said Mishra, adding, “Meena has been involved in several cases of corruption, the most famous being curtain scam, due to which his promotion was stopped for several years. Modi Government had deliberately chosen such a corrupt officer to head ACB as he was vulnerable and could be forced to do any illegal work. Therefore, no honest investigation in a case, which involved senior Congress and BJP leaders, could be expected from such an ACB,” Mishra also accused lt. Governer Najeeb Jung of protecting Dikshit.
“After forcibly taking over ACB, Najeeb Jung started directly supervising the work of Meena and ACB on behalf of Modi Government,” said Mishra.