New Delhi, August 26. The Delhi BJP today demanded that FIRs should be registered against Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit, Transport Minister Ramakant Goswami, Urban Development Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely and Food and Civil Supplies Minister Haroon Yusuf for their dubious role in the “Commercial vehicles” fitness scam.
The party also demanded that the Lt. Governor of Delhi should immediately sack them if they do not step down. The party said that the cases related to this scam should be transferred to the CBI or an SIT (Special Investigation Team) should be constituted to probe the scam and bring the guilty to the book.
It may be recalled that the Delhi BJP had exposed the scam in fitness tests of Commercial Vehicles in Delhi. The party said there is clear evidence of a direct role of Smt. Sheila Dixit, Sh Haroon Yusuf and other ministers/ bureaucrats.
Delhi BJP President Shri Vijay Goel said, “Now the Chief minister, her cabinet colleagues and some senior officials are trying to derail the investigation. There is evidence on record which shows how the high and the mighty in Congress have resorted to influence peddling to hush up this huge scam.”
“The implications of this scam on common people are terrifying. Lakhs of commercial vehicles are running on roads of Delhi without proper fitness tests due to this scam putting at risk lakhs of lives every day,” he added.
The Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) of Delhi government had registered an FIR nubmer – 21/12 on 17th December 2012, as per the RTI evidences and complaint filed by Shri Vivek Garg (Advocate & RTI Activist) in court, through his Counsels Ajay Goyal, Vivek Gupta, Jai Ram Garg.
“But despite of the clear evidence, ACB is scared to interrogate/investigate Smt. Sheila Dikshit, Shri Haroon Yusuf, Sh Arvinder Singh Lovely and other accused in top positions as ACB comes directly under Delhi Government,” said Shri Goel.
He further added that the BJP is in possession of a note/ letter dated 3.1.2013, signed by Transport Minister Ramakant Goswam. In this note, he has Ramakant has unlawfully and unfairly called the report (which was filed by ACB in the court), not only as “Vague and Sketchy at places but also to be factually inconsistent”.
Shri Goel said in light of the above facts, there are several questions that need to be answered:
1. From where did the Transport Minister get this Report of ACB, as he was not legally entitled to get the copy of this Report. This Report was exclusively available with only the Court and ACB.
2. On what legal grounds the Transport Minister is stating the ACB’s Report as “vague”, whereas in its report, the ACB has clarified that the crime was committed by PC Tamta, Nitin Manawat of ESP India and Transport Department. Why the Transport Minister trying to save the high profile accused? Isn’t it an indication that he himself is involved in this scam and is scared to be exposed along with other accused?
3. As per this note/ letter in possession of the Delhi BJP, the Transport Minister tried to influence the Investigation / ACB to shield the Chief Minister, Haroon Yusuf, ESP India and other bureaucrats from the possible indictment. By influencing/interfering in the investigation, the Transport Minister tried to force the ACB which is a serious violation of law, which needs to be investigated too. Even in his recent and earlier report, C&AG has also revealed the loot of public money and unlawful acts of the top corrupts, in this scam.
In the various statements/ applications, given by various transport officials like Shri R Chandramohan-IAS (ex-Commissioner), Shri M A Usmani (Ex-Dy Com), Shri Anil Chhikara (MLO) and others, they have clearly disclosed that the contract was awarded without tender to ESP India with the approval/ consent/ direction of Smt. Sheila Dikshit, Shri Haroon Yusuf and other Ministers/ Bureaucrats. But despite of having enough evidences and statements, ACB is not doing fair investigation due to the political pressure.
Even the Transport Minister visited VIU(Vehicle Inspection Unit) at Burari on 25.9.2012 where he was informed by some honest officials that tests like Loaded Mode Test was not functioning. Loaded Mode Test was not even being conducted practically as no machine was installed to do this test. This test was being done only on papers and fake receipts were issued at the high cost. Commercial Vehicle owners were being annually charged Rs. 1600/- for three tests i.e. 400/- for I&C Lane; 720 for Loaded Mode & 480/- for Third Party (CNG Leakage) Test. Rs. 100 per vehicle, were being charged extra by the transport department to issue the Certificate of Fitness.
Even other tests were not being conducted, as per law. But instead of taking any action, the Transport Minister kept his eyes closed to give undue favour to the accused and abused his official position.
It is important to mention that except the arrest of PC Tamta, Nitin Manawat of ESP India Co and two junior officials, there has been no progress in the case.
Top Congress politicians are being freely allowed to tamper with the evidences and being given safe passage to escape from lawful punishment.
Despite the fact that the consents/ approvals/ directions were given by the CM and her Ministers, they are moving scot free and not indicted so far in the investigation. At every stage, undue favours were doled out by the CM/ Ministers to ESP India.
The party demanded that all efforts to hush up this case must stop and probed immediately and those who are guilty should be punished including the CM and her cabinet colleagues.
