The dispute between the Centre and the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi over the Anti-Corruption Branch is likely to intensify as Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung may take it over from the control of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
A highly placed official told The Hindu that Mr. Jung would soon pass an order to this effect following a Home Ministry notification saying he had full control over matters relating to police and public order. “The L-G is likely to interpret this to mean that the Anti-Corruption Branch, which has been under the control of the Chief Minister, will now come under him,” the official said.
The powers and jurisdiction of the Branch has been one of the key issues in the stand-off between the Centre and Delhi government. Ridding Delhi of corruption is central to the Aam Aadmi Party’s politics and it has always felt that corruption has been rampant in the Delhi Police. Last July, while Delhi was still under President’s Rule, the Home Ministry issued a notification which said the Branch had jurisdiction only over Delhi government officials. The Delhi Police report to the Union government. The Home Ministry notification on Friday reiterated this stand.
The Delhi government will immediately contest any such order passed by Mr. Jung. It will argue that the Branch technically does not come under the heads of Police and Law and Order. “It performs a vigilance function and its only role is to enforce the Prevention of Corruption Act. Further the funds for its functioning are drawn from the Delhi government’s Budget,” an official in the Delhi government said.
Many cases before Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch
The Anti-Corruption Branch of the Delhi Police currently has a number of high-profile cases before it.
In defiance of a Home Ministry’s notification barring it from filing cases against Central officials, it has gone ahead and filed FIRs against two Delhi Police officials — a head constable on charges of extorting money and the first investigating officer in the December 16 gang-rape case. A slew of cases have been pending against officials in various departments including the Delhi Jal Board.
Earlier this month, the Branch issued notice to top officials of Reliance Industries Ltd. and its partner, Niko Resources Ltd., to join investigations in the Krishna-Godavari Basin case. The move was an improvement on the FIR registered last year when the Aam Aadmi Party ran a government in Delhi for 49 days.
The FIR includes the names of former Petroleum Ministers M. Veerappa Moily and Murli Deora; former Director-General of Hydrocarbons V.K. Sibal and RIL chairperson Mukesh Ambani. The AAP has long alleged that the Home Ministry's notification in July last year, which reduced the powers of the Bracnh, was passed to nullify this FIR.
Published - May 24, 2015 01:48 am IST
