AAP wants CBI to probe ‘fraud’ in civic body

The party said that on one hand, the BJP-run North MCD claims they do not have money and are incapable of paying salaries, but on the other, they can waive off Rs 2,500 crore payable by South Delhi MCD.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday said they would stage a sit-in protest demanding from the Centre a CBI probe into alleged misappropriation of funds of more than Rs 2,400 crore in the north Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD).

BJP MCD Mayors and MCD Councilors sitting in protest in front of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence, in New Delhi. (Vipin Kumar/HT PHOTO)

The sit-in will be staged from 11am on Sunday in front of the homes of Union home minister Amit Shah and lieutenant governor of Delhi Anil Baijal until the Centre permits an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation into the alleged MCD scam, AAP MLA and senior leader Atishi said during a press conference. “The way the Delhi Police has allowed BJP councillors to sit outside Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence, I am sure they will allow us to sit outside the L-G’s and home minister’s residence, that too along with full protection.”

The party said that on one hand, the BJP-run North MCD claims they do not have money and are incapable of paying salaries, but on the other, they can waive off Rs 2,500 crore payable by South Delhi MCD. “If you check the accounts of South MCD of the last many years, they clearly state that Rs 2,500 crore was the payable rent for the SDMC office at Civic Center which is owned by the North MCD. But in this year’s budget, the rent payable is shown as 0. The question is, where is this Rs 2,500 crore?” Atishi said.

On Friday, senior AAP leader and Delhi minister Satyendar Jain said the state government has ordered a probe against North MCD on charges of misappropriation of the money.

The BJP denied the allegations. Its Delhi unit spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor said, “There has been no misappropriation of funds. The south MCD owes the rent since 2012 when the trifurcation of the MCDs happened. In the current budget of the MCDs, there is a provision for waiver on the rent payment that is due, but it is awaiting approval of the House.”

The north civic body’s mayor, Jai Prakash had on Friday denied the allegations and said that the inquiry was a diversionary tactic. “This is nothing but a diversionary tactic by government to not release our dues,” he said.

By night, the party released two letters written by Atishi and AAP leader Raghav Chadha to Delhi Police seeking permission to stage the protest “on similar lines as it allowed to BJP leaders to protest in front of the CM’s house.”

The party said Chadha and AAP MLAs Sanjeev Jha, Kuldeep and Rituraj Govind will protest outside Shah’s home. Atishi and three leaders of opposition in the MCDs— Vikas goel, Manoj Tyagi and Prem chauhan — will protest outside the L-G House.