Officials accuse minister Gopal Rai's brother of attending meetings

East Delhi municipal councillors on Wednesday accused the brother of Delhi transport minister Gopal Rai of attending meetings with senior municipal officials and ordering them in his minister brother’s absence.

East Delhi municipal councillors on Wednesday accused the brother of Delhi transport minister Gopal Rai of attending meetings with senior municipal officials and ordering them in his minister brother’s absence.

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Raising the issue in the house meeting of the East Delhi Municipal Corporation (EDMC) on Tuesday, the councillors sought an answer from the municipal commissioner if a relative or a family member was allowed to hold meetings and inspect development work in the name of an elected representative. The mayor has demanded a detailed report from the municipal commissioner and ordered an inquiry into the allegations.

“While notices are being sent out in Gopal Rai’s (Delhi’s transport minister) name, his brother Yogender Rai has been calling meetings, going for inspections and threatening officials of dire consequences if they fail to abide by his orders,” said Savita Sharma, Congress councillor.

She said Yogender Rai has been doing this for the “past several months” and no action has been taken against him.

“We have directed the commissioner to issue guidelines for officers in response to questions raised by members that some of officers are attending inspections/meetings of relatives of some elected representatives,” said Harsh Deep Malhotra, east Delhi mayor. Gopal Rai couldn’t be reached for a comment despite repeated attempts.