ACB summons Sheila, AAP govt officer in alleged water meter scam

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government’s anti-corruption branch (ACB), which is investigating the purported water meter scam, has summoned former chief minister Sheila

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government’s anti-corruption branch (ACB), which is investigating the purported water meter scam, has summoned former chief minister Sheila Dikshit and senior IAS officer Ramesh Negi in connection with the case.

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Negi, at present serving as the principal secretary (urban development) in Delhi government, is believed to be close to chief minister Arvind Kejriwa land was tipped to be appointed as the chief secretary last year.

In a notice issued by the ACB on June 30, Dikshit has been asked to convey to the officer a ‘suitable and convenient, time and place’ to join investigation by August, 2016. The same notice has been issued to Negi and three other senior officers of the Delhi Jal Board.

Negi on Wednesday confirmed having received the summons. He said he has been asked to be present on July 28. “It is a process of the law. I have received the summons and will go there on the specified date,” he told HT.

Dikshit, on the other hand, termed the ACB summons as a politically motivated move. “This is completely politically motivated and if and when the time comes to answer something, I will answer it?” Dikshit told ANI.

The ACB had summoned Delhi law minister Kapil Mishra last month as part of its investigation. Mishra had then alleged he was not asked any questions about Dikshit.

AC B sources said they are questioning officers almost everyday and have collected records from the DJB office.

The ACB has earlier registered an FIR related to the purchase of 2.5 lakh water meters in 2012 without any proper tendering process.

In the FIR, Dikshit and DJB officers have been accused of making the ‘tender conditions stringent to benefit some multinational contractors/companies.

Another allegation was that the financial bid of a particular company was opened without receiving the test result report from the Fluid Control Research Institute of Kerala. The alleged scam pertains to the period during the Congress rule in Delhi when Sheila Dikshit was the chief minister.