DJB water tanker ‘scam’: ACB team questions Sheila Dikshit

FORMER CHIEF minister Sheila Dikshit was questioned by the Anti-corruption Branch (ACB) Sunday in connection with the alleged multi-crore Delhi Jal Board (DJB) water tanker scam.

An ACB team, led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police, visited Dikshit’s house in southeast Delhi’s Nizamuddin in the morning and questioned her. Sources said they also gave her some specific questions related to the case and asked her to reply within a few days.

Special Commissioner of Police MK Meena, who also heads the ACB, confirmed the development and said the team asked her relevant questions related the alleged scam. Sources said the ACB may question her again.

Dikshit told The Indian Express that she would give her reply in the coming days. “Yes, they (ACB) came today. I told them that I don’t remember what all happened at that time. They gave me a questionnaire containing 17-18 questions to which I will reply soon,” she said. In June last year, the Delhi government had set up a fact-finding committee to probe the irregularities in procuring 385 stainless-steel water tankers by the DJB in 2012 when Dikshit was chief minister.

The government had sent the committee’s report on the scam to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, following which an FIR was registered in connection with the matter. Water Minister Kapil Mishra was made a complainant in the case. Mishra, however, alleged that ACB officials “just had tea with Dikshit and returned”. He claimed the ACB was conducting the probe as a formality as it was under pressure from the BJP.

Mishra also said despite being acomplainant,hewasquestioned bytheacbforfourhours.“acbhad summoned me to its office and I wasquestionedforoverfourhours inthepresenceofoveradozenofficials. There was cross-questioning.theydidnotcalldikshit(tothe ACB office) but went to her place... Two days ago, I said the BJP is protecting Dikshit. The ACB is under pressure to save her. There are four different cases of corruption lodged against Dikshit and we will not accept anything less than her arrest,” he added.

Dikshit maintained that there was no corruption at all in the procurement of the tankers and that the allegations were “politically motivated”.

Hitting out at Mishra, Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta alleged that the AAP government was trying to “save” Dikshit as they are yet to “reveal” the total cost of the scam. He demanded that the ACB probe and prosecute offenders in the scam immediately. (with PTI inputs)