FIR against DCW chief Maliwal

NEW DELHI: The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) filed an FIR against Delhi Commission for Woman chairperson Swati Maliwal on Tuesday. ACB officers said the FIR was filed

NEW DELHI: The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) filed an FIR against Delhi Commission for Woman chairperson Swati Maliwal on Tuesday. ACB officers said the FIR was filed based on allegations related to irregularities over several appointments in the women’s commission.

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A complaint alleging that Maliwal had flouted standard procedures and recruited 85 Aam Aadmi Party volunteers was filed by former DCW chairperson Barkha Singh.

On Monday, a team of ACB officers quizzed Maliwal at her office. The officers had also handed a questionnaire and asked her to submit the answers by next week.

Last month, after Singh had filed the complaint and an enquiry was ordered, the investigating officer had visited the DCW office and sought papers related to the appointment. Singh, also a former Congress MLA, had alleged that all the 85 employees were cleared by Maliwal.

ACB sources said they recovered files from which they learnt that relatives of many AAP leaders were promised salaries between Rs 25,000 and Rs 1,00,000.

A former child welfare committee chairperson was reportedly offered the job at monthly salary of Rs 1,00,000.

Congress leader Singh had also alleged that the DCW budget had been increased from Rs 3.5 crore to Rs 7 crore to accommodate the new recruits.

DCW chief Swati Maliwal said that ever since the FIR was registered against her, people have been sending her text messages expressing solidarity. “My phone is full of messages from people saying that they are with me,” she said.

Maliwal said that she is not afraid of going to jail for her work as she has been fighting for women’s rights. “If I go to jail, I will form a report on the condition of women in jail and give it to the Delhi government to take action in it. There are many issues being faced by women in jail and I will raise those issues even if I am there,” she said.

“The previous chief, who filed a complaint against me, handled only one case during her tenure. I am being targeted for doing my work, and I am not afraid,” she said.

The FIR has been filed under sections 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 409 (criminal breach of trust by public servant) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code.

“We will question all those who have got jobs at the DCW. Maliwal will be questioned after we finish taking statements of the fresh recruits,” said an officer.