House panel might summon LG over Sheila government scams: Rakhi Birla

Delhi Assembly Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla said Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung might be summoned by Petition Committee of the House for questioning, if required. The development comes hours after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday wrote to the LG demanding that he and Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) chief M K Meena be made co-accused in four cases pertaining to alleged scams during the Sheila Dikshit government, including the one related to the pricing of gas from the KG basin.

Birla, who is chairperson of the nine-member Petition Committee of Assembly, said the committee has called its meeting on Thursday where a decision on whether to summon the LG will be taken.
 

An AAP functionary claimed the committee has power to quiz LG. The Committee looks into complaints received from public.

"We have sought legal opinion from the Government's Standing Council and if required, the LG will be summoned for questioning in connection with the alleged scams," Birla, who is AAP MLA from Mangolpuri, said.

Ealier on Wednesday, 12 AAP MLAs went to Raj Niwas, the LG's residence, around 11.30 a.m. with demands. They later claimed that LG refused to meet them.

The LG Secretariat, however, said Jung's schedule was already prepared for the day and procedures have to be followed for seeking an appointment.

The ruling party legislators then approached Delhi Assembly Speaker Ram Niwas Goel and gave him complaints pertaining to the alleged scams.

Goel forwarded the letters of Bharti and another AAP MLA Rajendra Pal Gautam, along with complaints received from common public, to the Petition Committee of the House.

The development came days after ACB Chief had said Chief Minister Kejriwal may also be quizzed apart from Dikshit in the tanker scam case after an First Information Report (FIR) was lodged.

"You (LG) have been protecting Smt Dikshit in these four FIRs through your inaction. Shri Meena, imposed by the Union government as ACB chief, has also colluded with you in this criminal activity. Kindly forward my letter to ACB with a direction that Shri Meena and yourself should be made co-accused in these four FIRs," a letter signed by Rajendra Pal Gautam said.