Delhi BJP accuses AAP govt of indulging in number plate 'scam'

In a move that may trigger further tussle between the Centre and AAP dispensation, Delhi BJP has registered a complaint with ACB accusing the Kejriwal government of indulging in corruption in contract of High Security Number Plates, a charge denied by it.
Two senior BJP leaders including national secretary R P Singh and Harish Khurana recently complained to the Anti- Corruption Branch (ACB) regarding the alleged "scam" in the HSNP project.
The complaint claimed a contract between Delhi government's Transport Department and a private company was "terminated" after which the company went into arbitration but it was allowed to issue the number plates "under the garb of arbitration".

"The two committees formed by Delhi government in 2014 and 2015 had found various irregularities such as procurement of the plates from unapproved source and overcharging but the company was allowed to issue the registration plates under the garb of arbitration," Khurana alleged.
Rubbishing allegations of irregularities, the AAP government said in January 2014, the then Transport Minister Sourabh Bhardwaj had formed a three-member fact-finding committee.
On the basis of the committee's report, the AAP government had terminated the contract with the company in February 2014, said a senior government official.

Singh alleged in his complaint that the scam was to the tune of Rs 300 crore.

"It is a more than Rs 300 cr number plate scam involving Kejriwal govt. Let ACB enquire into my complaint?" he said in a tweet.
"False, frivolous, baseless and unsubstantiated allegations and complaints are being run against Rosmerta HSRP Ventures Pvt. Ltd at the behest of its competitors in business with a view to stifle competition in implementation of HSRP Projects," the company said in a statement.
It further claimed that the Ttribunal in its order on May 21 this year had restrained the Delhi government from taking any "final action" without its permission.
On January 12, the Transport Department had written to ACB recommending an FIR against the company in connection with alleged irregularities, the government official said.

Another government official said the transport department had told the tribunal that if contract is cancelled, it would issue temporary ordinary number plates to the vehicles.
"We received a complaint from Delhi government in January and initiated probe into the matter," ACB chief M K Meena said.
Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay has said that the government should "immediately clarify" its position on the high security vehicle registration plate alleged "scam".
"It appears to be an economic scam but it is also connected with the security of Delhi and the country. Hence itis necessary that Delhi government should immediately clarify its position on it," he said.