MCD official held for graft

The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi Police arrested a senior official of a civic body for demanding a bribe of Rs 2 crore to de-seal two under-construction motels, on Wednesday. Nivedita Khandekar reports.

The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi Police arrested a senior official of a civic body for demanding a bribe of Rs 2 crore to de-seal two under-construction motels, on Wednesday.

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The names of Ashok Kumar, Municipal Corporation of Delhi's Deputy Commissioner (Najafgarh zone), and an assistant engineer figure in the chargesheet filed by the ACB, following a sting operation.The sting was carried out by the complainant, Raghubir Singh.

“Kumar is under arrest and the assistant engineer is on the run,” ACB Additional Commissioner of Police Dr N. Dilip Kumar said.

This is not the first instance of corruption charges being levelled against Kumar.

In 2003, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had registered a disproportionate assets case against him, following which the MCD had held back his promotion to the post of Additional Commissioner.

And only last week, after he was seen at the AICC office seeking a Lok Sabha ticket, Mayor Arti Mehra had written a letter complaining about Kumar’s political aspirations to the Delhi Lieutenant-Governor, Tejender Khanna.

“It was the third time I informed the authorities about Kumar’s activities,” the mayor said.

“Despite several complaints, he continues to hold on to his portfolio. The Congress party is protecting him,” she said.