The Central Information Commission (CIC) has show-caused Delhi transport department for not giving information as sought by an RTI applicant on the Justice (retd) Mukul Mudgal inquiry committee report.
"The commission has perused the record available in the file and directs the Public Information Officer (PIO), Transport Department, to show cause as to why penalty should not be imposed upon him for not providing the information within the prescribed time," the CIC said in its order.
Advocate Vivek Garg had sought copies under the RTI Act of a transport inquiry report prepared by the committee headed by Mudgal, a former Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court.
"My application was transferred to various divisions. But I did not get any response from the transport department. Aggrieved over it, I moved the CIC," Garg said.
Delhi Lt Governor had in 2013 ordered an inquiry in respect to allegations regarding collection of fees by M/s ESP India Private Ltd without conducting Loaded Mode Emission (LME) test and the omission on the part of officers of the transport department.
The committee, which had former IAS officer Ramesh Chandra as a member, was mandated to ascertain the amount collected by the firm from vehicle owners and the liability of the firm for any omission. It was to also suggest preventive and remedial measures to avoid such occurrences in future.
"It is a multi-crore scam. I do not understand why Delhi government is shying away from sharing the report. They must put this report in the public domain for greater transparency on the issue," Garg said.
