ACB chief challenges CM’s note, calls it violations of norms

LG-appointed ACB chief MK Meena on Tuesday challenged Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s note to him seeking a reply on allegations of negligence in performing duty and “intimidating” his juniors, and threatened “appropriate action” if it was not withdrawn immediately.

LG-appointed ACB chief MK Meena on Tuesday challenged Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s note to him seeking a reply on allegations of negligence in performing duty and “intimidating” his juniors, and threatened “appropriate action” if it was not withdrawn immediately.

Delhi anti-corruption branch (ACB) chief MK Meena. (PTI Photo)

In the note issued on October 9, Kejriwal had sought an explanation from him within 10 days relating to allegations against him and warned of initiating an inquiry if his reply was not found satisfactory.

Responding to the note, Meena sent a letter to the chief minister’s office in which he sought withdrawal of the memorandum failing which he would be “constrained to initiate appropriate action as per law”.

“At this juncture, by issuing illegal memorandum with false charges that too by overreaching your jurisdiction, many provisions of law have been violated by the CM,” Meena said. In his letter, he questioned the chief minister’s jurisdiction over the ACB holding that he was not the “competent authority” to issue a memorandum or to institute disciplinary proceedings against him as the terms and conditions of his service are governed by the Centre.

Kejriwal, in his note, had mentioned about a number of charges against the ACB chief, which include deploying paramilitary forces at the ACB premises to intimidate his subordinates. There is also an allegation that Meena tried to take away the FIR book from the police station of ACB and did “illegal acts with mala fide intention” of screening “corrupt officials” and saving them from legal proceedings by interfering with the process of law.

Meena is also alleged to have made a “false” statement that the anti-corruption helpline number 1031 launched by Delhi government was “scrapped” as it was not receiving complaints. In the letter, Meena, who is also the joint commissioner of Police (New Delhi range), wrote that the issuance of the memorandum by the incompetent authority is violation of the fundamental rights of the ACB chief who is governed by the All India Services (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1969.