DDCA Scam: MHA declares Commission of Inquiry into irregularities “Unconstitutional and Illegal”

As expected, the AAP government has hit back, saying only a court of law shall decide the constitutionality of the DDCA probe panel, and that those who are raising questions on it are “afraid”. It does not apply to the Delhi government as Delhi is not a state, but a National Capital Territory, the notice said. The raid had started a war of words between the two sides, with Kejriwal alleging that it was meant to seize some files purportedly containing details of alleged corruption in DDCA when finance minister Arun Jaitley was its president during 1999-2013. The ministry held the Delhi government was not a competent authority to set up this kind of inquiry under the provisions of the Constitution and the Commission of Inquiry Act of 1952.

According to sources, Lt Governor Najeeb Jung has written to the Delhi government, striking down the panel set up by the Delhi Government to probe alleged financial irregularities in DDCA. The notification was issued by the Delhi Vigilance Department on 22 December. Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia called the communication “MHA’s view” and said the state government’s inquiry commission can not be dismissed out of hand. “Only a court’s order can stop the commission’s work”.

The Union Home Ministry also said the Delhi government does not have the jurisdiction to look into the affairs of the DDCA.

Taking a jibe at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government for their latest advertisement on the “odd-even87” scheme featuring Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in “muffler-man” avatar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday said that it is the state government’s “massive hunger” to somehow be relevant in the media.

The party has been accusing Jaitley of wrongdoings during his tenure as DDCA chief. “Such misleading propaganda and wastage of public resources in ads clearly reveals that self-publicity sans actual work is the agenda of this government, as sadly the scheme has not percolated down to the deserving students”, said Mr Maken.