Arvind Kejriwal Archives - Page 6 of 12 - Lokmarg

ED Opposes Sisodia’s Bail

By LokMarg 5th April 2023

The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday opposed the bail plea of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and said that the agency is in the process of gathering some fresh evidence as there is some crucial evidence that is still being unearthed.

ED lawyer further submitted that our investigation is not into the scheduled offence but is an investigation into the process of activity involved in the generation and use of proceeds of crime.
Appearing for Manish Sisodia, Advocate Vivek Jain argued that no PMLA case has been made against him. “Section 45 of PMLA would come against me only if an offence under Section 3 is made out,” Advocate Vivek Jain said.

“ED’s reply opposing my bail doesn’t even show I have concealed any proceeds of crime or acquired any proceeds of crime, or I projected proceeds of crime. Not a single rupee has come into my account or my family’s account. They have raided my home, and they have checked my bank accounts. They even have gone to my native place,” he argued.

The Special Judge MK Nagpal after noting down the submissions, kept the matter for April 12, 2023, for further arguements in the bail.

Meanwhile, the Court also extended the Judicial Custody of Manish Sisodia in the ED case of excise case till April 17, 2023.

Manish Sisodia was physically produced before the Court on Wednesday at the end of his Judicial remand period, granted earlier.

The Rouse Avenue Court was hearing a bail plea of Delhi’s former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in a money laundering case pertaining to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of GNCTD.

The Enforcement Directorate on the last date had filed its lengthy reply opposing the bail plea in the court.

Last week the same court dismissed the bail plea of Sisodia in the CBI case related to the Excise matter.

Earlier, while sending Sisodia on ED remand Court said, it cannot be ignored that investigation into an ED case is a complicated affair and keeping in view the intricacies of the case, the multiplicity of the persons/accused involved in the commission of the alleged offence of money laundering and the huge volume of the records or data seized during the investigation and required to be analysed by the Investigating Agency, it is bound to take some time and the IO or InvestigatingAgency cannot be faulted or blamed for the same, though they are duty bound to do and conclude it as early as possible.

Appearing for ED earlier, Advocates Zohaib Hossain submitted that huge mail data, mobile data all of that are being forensically analyzed. The mobile phone was changed the day when LG wrote to the CBI, which was used by Sisodia for a long time.

Counsel for ED had further submitted that the statements were confirmed by the recovery of the data received from the computer of the arrestee. Mobile data, email data, and cloud data were also received during the interpretation.

Earlier, ED said, the act of pro-active destruction of evidence leads to only one inference that Manish Sisodia made conscious efforts to destroy evidence of the offence of money laundering, said Enforcement Directorate while seeking remand of Manish Sisodia in connection with the Excise Policy case.

Appearing for ED, Advocates Zohaib Hossain and Naveen Kumar Matta had earlier submitted that even in the statement given by Manish Sisodia on 07.03.2023 and 09.03.2023, he has been untrue. “On being asked about his association with Dinesh Arora, who handled the transfer of kickbacks from the South Group to Vijay Nair, he gave an answer contrary to what has been revealed by independent persons/stakeholders.

The ED earlier also told the court that Manish Sisodia had purchased SIM cards and mobile phones in other people’s names.

There was a conspiracy behind framing the excise policy. The conspiracy was coordinated by Vijay Nair, along with others and the Excise policy was brought out for extraordinary profit margin for wholesalers, ED argued in the court.

ED told the court that the margin of 12 per cent of wholesale profit margin to private entities was never discussed in the GoM meeting.

Countering Sisodia’s lawyer’s arguements, the ED lawyer told the court that if the policy is a matter of executive then there would not be a coal scam or a 2G scam.

He was arrested during his Judicial custody in Tihar Jail, where he was lodged in.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 9 arrested former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the liquor policy case, after hours of questioning at Tihar Jail.

Sisodia was arrested by the CBI in the liquor policy case on February 26, 2023. The same Court on March 24, had kept the order reserved on bail plea of Sisdodia in CBI case and fixed March 31, for the pronouncement of the order.

Sisodia was arrested by the CBI earlier in its ongoing investigation of a case related to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD). (ANI)

Delhi Budget 2023-24: Focuses On Transport, Health, Education

By LokMarg 22nd March 2023

The Delhi administration finally presented its Budget document on Wednesday, a day after it was initially supposed to be tabled in the Assembly.

The theme of the Delhi Budget largely revolved around ‘Clean, Beautiful, and Modern Delhi’.
The Budget proposed for the year 2023-24 worth Rs 78,800 crore, was presented by Delhi Finance Minister Kailash Gahlot, which is almost two and a half times the expenditure of Rs 30,940 crore in the year 2014-15, and 8.69 percent higher than the revised estimates for 2022-23.

Of the budgeted estimate of Rs 78,800 crore for 2023-24, Rs 56,983 crore is for the purpose of revenue expenditure and an outlay of Rs 21,817 crore under capital expenditure.

Notably, the share of capital expenditure as part of the overall budget has been raised 27.68 per cent in this year’s budget. The proposed capital expenditure of Rs 21,817 crore is almost three times the capital outlay of Rs 7,430 crore in 2014-15.

Through this budget, the Arvind Kejriwal-led administration aims to launch what it said is one of the most ambitious and comprehensive plans in Delhi’s history to transform it into a ‘clean, beautiful and modern city’.

Nine major schemes are proposed under the ambitious theme.

Delhi seeks to upgradation and beautify 1,400 kms of the entire PWD road network with a 10-year estimated expenditure of nearly Rs 20,000 crore – the biggest such effort in Delhi’s history.

The Budget document said total 28 flyovers were completed in the last eight years, and construction of another 26 new flyovers is underway. These include projects like Barapullah Phase 3 flyover from Sarai Kale Khan to Mayur Vihar and elevated road at Najafgarh Phirni.

It will construct three double-decker flyovers in collaboration with DMRC at Bhajanpura to Yamuna Vihar, Azadpur to Rani Jhansi intersections, and from Saket to Pul Prahaladpur. Vehicles will run on the lower deck of these double-decker flyovers, while the Metro rail will run on the upper deck.

The Budget proposes to introduce 1,600 new zero-emission electric buses next year, as part of a massive plan to induct a total of 8,280 electric buses (80 per cent of the total fleet) by 2025 with a financial outlay of Rs 28,500 crore in 12 years.

In a first, a dedicated last-mile connectivity scheme called ‘mohalla bus’ scheme will be launched in Delhi next year with 100 smaller (nine-metre length) electric buses, scaling up to 2,180 ‘mohalla buses’ by 2025.

Also, electrification of all 57 existing bus depots of Delhi will be done so that they are ready for induction of electric buses. The estimated cost would be about Rs 1,500 crore.

For modernisation of transport infrastructure, three modern Inter-State Bus Terminals (ISBTs) with airport-like amenities at Sarai Kale Khan, Anand Vihar and Dwarka will be set up. These will be called as “Bus Ports”.

In addition, two multi-level bus depots with parking upto six levels, two modern bus terminals, and nine new bus depots will also be constructed.

Further, 1,400 new and modern bus queue shelters in Delhi with digital screens with modern Passenger Information System (PIS) that will display the arrival time of buses will be erected.

Six-point action plan for a Clean Yamuna

The Delhi government said in the Budget it will rapidly expand the reach of the sewer network to all the colonies and clusters.

The total number of unauthorised colonies connected to the sewer network will almost double from 747 to 1,317 colonies next year. The people of Delhi will continue to receive the benefit of free household sewer connections.

“Delhi Government to join hands with MCD and provide financial assistance to get rid of Delhi’s three garbage mountains of shame in next two years – Okhla landfill by December 2023, Bhalaswa landfill by March 2024 and Ghazipur landfill by December 2024,” said the Budget document.

Education and Health

Education and health are set to continue to get the highest allocation for 2023-24. Allocation to education is pegged at Rs 16,575 crore (21 per cent) and health is Rs 9,742 crore (12 per cent).

The Budget proposes to provide new tablets to all teachers (including regular, guest and contractual), vice principals, principals and DDEs of Delhi government schools.

Major proposals under Health department

Free test facilities at Mohalla Clinics to be increased from 250 to 450.

“New Aam Aadmi Mohalla Clinics to come up at Metro stations. Number of Mahila Mohlla Clinics to expand from 4 to 100 in the coming year,” it said.

Also, an expansion plan is underway to increase the number of beds available for patients in Delhi government hospitals from 14,200 to 30,000.

Separately, in a few months, the Delhi government will complete the work of reviving 20 lakes.

Coming back to the friction ahead of the Budget, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday alleged that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had stalled it.

It was learnt certain observations were made by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena on the Budget after which the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Monday requested the AAP-led Delhi government to resubmit the Budget addressing these concerns. Reports say the Centre had sought clarification on the Aam Aadmi Party government’s expenditure on advertisements before approving the presentation of the Budget.

Notably, Delhi’s Budget goes to the Home Ministry for approval and can be presented in the Delhi Assembly only when the MHA approves the Budget.

On Monday, the Delhi administration tabled in the Assembly the Status Report of Outcome Budget and Economic Survey for 2022-23.

The Economic Survey document showed that the advance estimate of Per Capita Income of Delhi at current prices during 2022-23 is seen at Rs 444,768, registering a growth of 14.18 per cent over the previous year.

The Economic Survey typically details the progress of various departments along with the statistics related to the economy of the state. The annual document is prepared every year and presented in the Budget Session before the Legislature.

Delhi’s Per Capita Income was always been around 2.6 times higher when compared to national average, both at current and constant prices, the survey said.

The Economy Survey also typically gives some idea about the tone and texture of the actual Budget for 2023-24, which is typically presented a day before Budget day.

Further, the survey said Delhi, being predominant as a service sector, has a share of contribution to Gross State Value Added (at current prices) at 84.84 per cent during 2022-23 followed by a contribution of Secondary Sector (12.53 per cent) and Primary Sector (2.63 per cent).

“The tertiary (or service) sector plays a pivotal role in the state economy both in terms of employment generation and contribution to state income,” the Economic Survey for 2022-23 said.

Regarding GDP size, the survey said the Advance Estimate of GSDP of Delhi at current prices during 2022-23 is likely to attain a level of Rs 1,043,759 crore which is at a growth of 15.38 per cent over 2021-22.

With the economy returning to normalcy brought closer by the successful mega vaccination drive in Delhi, hopes of a robust recovery in the services sector, consumption, and investment have been rekindled.

Coming to the Outcome Budget 2022-23, it covered 23 major departments under which, major programmes and schemes were identified and key output and progress indicators were defined against each of them.

“Our government is the first to start the outcome budget. We keep our report card in front of the public and we track each flagship scheme through two indicators, the Output Indicator and the Outcome Indicator,” Delhi NCT finance minister Kailash Gahlot had said. (ANI)

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Kejriwal, Bhagwant Reach Raipur To Campaign For Assembly Elections

By LokMarg 5th March 2023

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Sunday reached Raipur to campaign for Chhattisgarh assembly elections, 2023.

While talking to ANI, Kejriwal said, “The upcoming elections are very important for the people of Chhattisgarh. BJP ruled Chhattisgarh for 15 years and Congress ruled for about seven years.”
He added, “There is no significant difference in the governance of both the parties. Only the names of the parties and the names of the chief minister have changed. The life of the people did not change, the system did not change, and the system remained the same.”

Mann said, “Punjab has suffered exactly the same. For 25 years since 1997, there was the rule of two families. The Badal family and Captain created a mafia that looted Punjab fiercely, Sand mafia, land mafia, whatever.”

Assembly elections are due in 2023 in Chhattisgarh. (ANI)

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Sisodia Moves Bail Plea In Trial Court

By LokMarg 3rd March 2023

Former Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia, who is presently in CBI remand, moved a regular bail petition in a trial court on Friday.

Sisodia was recently arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of GNCTD.
According to the lawyer concerned, hearing on the bail plea will be held on Saturday. Sisodia is also scheduled to be produced on Saturday at the end of his remand period granted on February 27, 2023.

Rouse Avenue Court on Monday while sending Sisodia to CBI remand directed that the interrogation of the accused during the remand period shall be conducted at some place having CCTV coverage in accordance with guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court and the said footage shall be preserved by the CBI.

Special Judge MK Nagpal on February 27, 2023, decided to send Manish Sisodia to CBI remand till March 4, 2023. Sisodia was arrested on Sunday in an ongoing investigation of a case related to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of GNCTD.

The court said, keeping in view the facts and circumstances, the accused is being remanded to CBI custody for a period of five days i.e. till March 4, 2023, for his further and extensive interrogation.

The court observed that the accused had joined the investigation of this case on two earlier occasions, but it has also been observed that he has failed to provide satisfactory answers to most of the questions put to him during his examination and interrogation conducted and has thus, failed to legitimately explain the incriminating evidence which has allegedly surfaced against him in the investigation conducted so far.

It is true that he cannot be expected to make self-incriminating statements, but the interests of justice and of a fair investigation require that he should come up with some legitimate answers to the questions which are being put to him by the Investigation officer.

Some of his subordinates are found to have disclosed certain facts which can be taken as incriminating against him and some documentary evidence against him has also already surfaced a proper and fair investigation requires that some genuine and legitimate answers to the questions being put to him about the same are to be found and hence, in considered opinion of this court, this can only be done during custodial interrogation of the accused, noted the court.

During arguments, CBI counsel told the court that the Delhi Deputy CM’s custodial interrogation is required for an effective investigation into the case. While seeking five days’ remand of Sisodia, CBI said, “Conspiracy was hatched in a very planned and secret manner.”

Meanwhile, senior Advocate Dayan Krishnan appeared for Sisodia and opposed the remand application of CBI.

“If someone is not willing to say something, that cannot be a ground for arrest,” argued Sisodia’s lawyer.

“What should I do with a phone that I changed? I am a minister, I cannot send it to a second-hand shop, it would have important data. CBI confronted me with the material but I did not confess. The remand application says I gave evasive replies. This cannot be a ground for remand. They search my residence on August 19, 2022. I hand over my phone. They called me to join the investigation and I joined. I cooperated,” Advocate Dayan Krishnan argued for Delhi Deputy CM.

The CBI on Sunday released a statement on Sisodia’s arrests, claiming he was giving evasive replies and wasn’t cooperating in the ongoing investigation of the liquor scam case. (ANI)

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If Sisodia Joins BJP Today, He Will Be Free Tomorrow: Kejriwal

By LokMarg 1st March 2023

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday attacked the BJP-led centre over the arrests of Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain and said that if Manish Sisodia joined BJP today, he will be released tomorrow.

While talking to ANI, Kejriwal said, “Two people who brought laurels to India have been jailed by the PM. The excise policy was just an excuse, there was no scam. PM wanted to stop good work in Delhi. Manish Sisodia was arrested as he did good work in education. Satyendar Jain was arrested as he did good work in health.”

“If Manish Sisodia joins BJP today, won’t he be released tomorrow? All cases will be withdrawn. If Satyendar Jain joins BJP today, all cases will be withdrawn and he’d be released from jail tomorrow. The issue isn’t corruption but stopping work and sending CBI-ED after the opposition,” he added.

In a major rejig in the Delhi cabinet necessitated by the resignations of Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sent the names of Aam Aadmi Party MLAs Saurabh Bhardwaj and Atishi to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to be elevated as ministers, sources said on Wednesday.

The development comes after Sisodia, who headed 18 departments, and Jain, who has been in jail for months in a money laundering case, stepped down as ministers.

Sources on Tuesday had said the departments held by Sisodia will be redistributed to senior AAP leaders Kailash Gahlot and Raaj Kumar Anand.

“Sisodia held 18 departments, some of which will now be handled by Kailash Gahlot and the rest by Raaj Kumar Anand,” a source said on Tuesday.

Sisodia was earlier arrested by the CBI in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.

Sisodia was arrested on Sunday in an ongoing investigation of a case related to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the new excise policy of the Delhi government.

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court refused to entertain Sisodia’s plea challenging his arrest in the excise policy case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said the top court is not inclined to entertain the petition at this stage, suggesting that Sisodia move the Delhi High Court.

“We cannot interfere in the matter as it may open the gate of people approaching the top court in every such matter,” the bench observed.

Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Monday sent him to CBI custody for 5 days.

The CBI had also quizzed AAP leader Jain in Tihar Jail in connection with alleged corruption in the implementation of the now-junked Delhi Excise policy.

Jain is currently lodged in judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Recently, the CBI and ED made several arrests for alleged corruption in the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy. (ANI)

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AAP Legislators Bhardwaj, Atishi Likely To Be Elevated As Ministers

By LokMarg 1st March 2023

The development comes after Sisodia, who headed 18 departments, and Jain, who has been in jail for months in a money laundering case, stepped down as ministers.
Sources on Tuesday had said the departments held by Sisodia will be redistributed to senior AAP leaders Kailash Gahlot and Raaj Kumar Anand.

“Sisodia held 18 departments, some of which will now be handled by Kailash Gahlot and the rest by Raaj Kumar Anand,” a source said on Tuesday.

Sisodia was earlier arrested by the CBI in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.

Sisodia was arrested on Sunday in an ongoing investigation of a case related to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the new excise policy of the Delhi government.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to entertain Sisodia’s plea challenging his arrest in the excise policy case.

A bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said the top court is not inclined to entertain the petition at this stage, suggesting that Sisodia move Delhi High Court.

“We cannot interfere in the matter as it may open the gate of people approaching the top court in every such matter,” the bench observed.

Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Monday sent him to CBI custody for 5 days.

The CBI had also quizzed AAP leader Jain in Tihar Jail in connection with alleged corruption in the implementation of the now-junked Delhi Excise policy.

Jain is currently lodged in judicial custody in connection with a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

Recently, the CBI and ED made several arrests for alleged corruption in the implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy. (ANI)

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Sisodia Will Be Arrested On Sunday: Kejriwal

By LokMarg 24th February 2023

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday claimed that his sources have confirmed that Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, who has been called for questioning by the CBI with regard to the Delhi liquor excise policy case, will be arrested on Sunday by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Speaking at the ABP Network’s second edition of ‘Ideas of India’ Summit, Kejriwal said, “CBI has called Manish Sisodia for questioning. Our sources are saying that he will be arrested on Sunday… It is very sad.”
The Delhi Chief Minister further said that the CBI raided Sisodia’s residence and searched his bank lockers, but nothing was found.

“CBI raided Manish Sisodia, searched his bank accounts, raided his house, searched his lockers, raided his office, raided properties in his village but nothing was found,” said the Delhi CM.

Kejriwal said that Sisodia offered hope of a good future to crores of poor children in the country.

Lauding the Deputy Chief Minister for improving the education system in Delhi, Kejriwal said, “Manish Sisodia is the person, who after 75 years of independence has given hope to the poor people of this country that their children can also have a good future. Today in Delhi, the children of the poor are becoming doctors, engineers and lawyers. Manish Sisodia has given a lot of hope to them.”

He claimed that a conspiracy has been hatched to defame such a person by framing him in a false case.

“If you arrest him and put him in jail in a false case, how will the country make progress? If the king of a country will send to jail those who give education to the children of the poor in that country and will hand over the entire country to two four friends, then how will the country progress?” he added.

Kejriwal also said that he first met Sisodia on December 29, 1999, when he was working in the Income Tax department.

Notably, Sisodia on Monday said that the CBI has called him for questioning on February 26 in connection with the Delhi liquor excise policy case.

Earlier, the CBI had asked Sisodia to appear for questioning on February 19. On last Sunday, Sisodia requested the central agency to defer questioning saying that he is “preparing the budget” at present and can only appear before it towards February-end.

However, Sisodia has not been named an accused in the chargesheet filed in the case. Arrested businessmen Vijay Nair and Abhishek are among the seven accused named in the chargesheet.

In August last year, the CBI searched Sisodia’s bank locker in connection with the case. The deputy CM claimed the sleuths did not find any incriminating material in his locker.

Several raids were conducted at 21 places in Delhi and the National Capital Region, including Sisodia’s residence, and the premises of four public servants last year, according to a CBI officer, who further said that the raids were conducted across 7 states.

The CBI launched a probe in the matter on the basis of a report forwarded by the Delhi chief secretary to L-G Saxena recommending a probe by the central agency. (ANI)

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Kejriwal Gives Nod For Transplantation Of 173 Trees For PM’s New Residence

By LokMarg 15th February 2023

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has cleared the way for the transplantation of 173 trees for the new residence of the Prime Minister which is being built by the Modi government as a part of the Central Vista project.

With is, there are now no obstacles in the construction of the Prime Minister’s new residence.
The CPWD had sought permission for the transplantation of 173 trees from the project site from the Delhi government and the matter was sent to the Delhi CM for his approval, said officials.

The timely intervention by the Chief Minister has now cleared the way for the project and will be helpful in expediting the project.

The Central Vista redevelopment project is an ongoing project of the central government to revamp the central administrative area of the country. The project aims at revamping the 3 km Kartvya Path between Rashtrapati Bhawan and India Gate along with the creation of a common secretariat to house all the government ministries along with a new Parliament building near the present one.

Apart from this, a new residence and office will be built for the Prime Minister and the Vice President near the north and the south blocks.

The estimated cost of the project is Rs 13,450 crore. (ANI)

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Kanjhawala Case: Kejriwal Speaks To Victim’s Mother, Announces Compensation Of Rs 10L

By LokMarg 3rd January 2023

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday spoke to the mother of the 20-year-old woman, who was killed after being dragged by a car for several kilometres in the national capital on Sunday.

The Chief Minister said that the compensation of Rs 10 lakhs will be given to the family of the deceased woman and assured that the woman will get justice.
“Talked to the victim’s mother. Will get justice for the daughter. Will field the biggest lawyer. His mother remains ill. Will get them fully treated. Will give a compensation of Rs 10 lakh rupees to the victim’s family. The government is with the victim’s family. If there is any need in future that also we will fulfill,” Kejriwal said in a tweet.

Meanwhile, the Post Mortem Examination (PME) has ruled out any injury suggestive of ‘sexual assault’, the police informed on Tuesday.

The PME was conducted by a three-member medical board at Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC), New Delhi on January 2.

Special CP Law and Order, Delhi, SP Hooda told ANI that the report states the provisional cause of death as “shock and haemorrhage due to antemortem injury to the head, spine, left femur, and both lower limbs”.

All the injuries are produced by the impact of blunt force which is possible with vehicular accidents and dragging. Also, the report indicates that there is no injury suggestive of sexual assault, he said.

The final report will be received in due course. Further investigation into the case is underway.

A 20-year-old woman was killed in the early hours of New Year after her scooty was hit by a car and she was reportedly dragged for 13 kilometres under the vehicle on the city’s roads.

Earlier on Monday, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer District), Harendra K Singh, informed that five people had been arrested in the Kanjhawala case and a case under 304 A (death due to negligence) of the IPC was registered against them. They were produced before a court in Delhi’s Rohini which sent them to three days of police custody for interrogation.

The suspected car was also traced down and the five occupants were apprehended from their houses.

The Delhi Police found CCTV footage in which the deceased woman Anjali and her friend, identified by police as Nidhi, were seen coming out of a hotel at around 1.30 am on January 1.

The other woman, who was traced by police during the investigation, has been identified by the police as Nidhi a friend of the deceased woman.

CCTV footage accessed by ANI shows both the women leaving the hotel on a scooty with the deceased on the pillion seat and Nidhi riding.

In the CCTV footage from outside the hotel, Anjali could be seen wearing a pink coloured jacket while Nidhi could be spotted in a red jacket. (ANI)

Delhi L-G Seeks Recovery Of Rs 97 Cr Spent By AAP On Political Ads

By LokMarg 20th December 2022

Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has ordered a Rs 97-crore recovery from the Aam Aadmi Party-led Delhi government for publishing political advertisements of AAP as “government ads”.

The L-G in his Monday’s orders to the Chief Secretary had directed that all advertisements since September 2016, be also referred to the Content Regulation in Government Advertising (CCRGA) for vetting and ascertaining if they were in consonance with the guidelines issued by the Supreme Court.
He has also asked for the money that has been spent on the so-called illegal committee to be recovered.

“He has additionally asked for Shabdarth – the public agency formed by the Kejriwal Government, currently manned by 35 individuals on a contractual/outsourced basis, out of the total sanctioned strength of 38 officials, to be manned by government servants, instead of private individuals. The finances of Shabdarth ever since it came into being shall also be audited,” the statement added.

LG Saxena has directed the Chief Secretary to implement the September 16, 2016 order of the Supreme Court-appointed Committee on CCRGA and the pursuant order of Directorate of Information & Publicity (DIP), GNCTD, directing the AAP to pay Rs 97,14,69,137 plus interest, to the state exchequer, for political advertisements that it got published or telecast in the garb of government advertisements, an official notification read.

“This, apart from being a gross case of misappropriation of Government funds for the benefit of a political party, also amounts to contempt of the Supreme and High Court,” it said further.

The top court in its order dated May 13, 2015, had postulated guidelines to regulate Government Advertising and eliminate unproductive expenditure while disposing of a Writ Petition with regards to “restraining the Union of India and all State Governments from using public funds on Government advertisements which are primarily intended to project individual functionaries of the Government or a Political Party.. and laying down of appropriate guidelines by this Court..”

“Pursuant to this order dated 13.05.2015 of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, a three Member Committee on Content Regulation in Government Advertising (CCRGA) was constituted by the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, Government of India, vide order dated 06.04.2016, to regulate the content of Advertising and eliminate unproductive expenditure of Government Revenue,” the statement from LG office read adding that the Content Regulation in Government Advertising (CCRGA) investigated the advertisements published by DIP, and issued orders for identifying specific advertisements published by GNCTD that were in “stark violation” of the guidelines set by the top court and directed the DIP, GNCTD to quantify the amounts spent by it in such advertisements, and recover the same from AAP.

The CCRGA order ascertained that an amount of over Rs 97 crores had been spent on the account of non-conforming advertisements violating the SC order.

“Of this, while payments amounting to Rs. 42,26,81,265/- (Rupees Forty-Two Crores Twenty Six Lakh Eighty One Thousand and Two Hundred Sixty Five Only) had already been released by DIP, Rs.54,87,87,872/- (Rupees Fifty Four Crores Eighty-Seven Lakh Eighty-Seven Thousand and Eight Hundred Seventy-Two only) for advertisements published, were still pending disbursal…,” it said.

The Directorate of Vigilance (DoV), inquiring into complaints regarding this, has brought out that not only did DIP not recover amounts worth Rs 42,26,81,265, it also proactively paid the pending amount of Rs 54,87,87,872, rather than getting the AAP to pay the same, as ordered.

“In 08 cases, payment of Rs. 20.53 Crores (Approx.) was made, falsely attributing it to Court / Arbitration orders. Further, Dy. CM, Manish Sisodia who is the Minister-in-Charge of the Department as well as the Minister of Finance, approved payment of another Rs. 27 Crores (Approx.), by entering into a fraudulent “compromise deed/settlement”, despite the fact that there was no litigation nor there were any directions from Supreme Court / High Court of Delhi,” it said.

Notably, despite 61 of the 90 suo Motu settlement deeds in DIP not being signed by the concerned officials, the payments were still released.

The statement further cited the case of advertisements in the bio-decomposer project as an example of wasteful expenditure in violation of the Supreme Court order and mentioned: While the entire cost for the bio-decomposer project was Rs 41.62 lakhs, the expenditure incurred for advertising it was Rs 16.94 Crore, which is “40 times higher” than the project cost.

“All this was done by AAP and its Ministers by resorting to grossly illegal moves which entailed putting in place a Committee of its own to look into violations of the Supreme Court guidelines. This in itself was illegal, since the Committee appointed by the GoI as per orders of the Supreme Court, was authorized and empowered with jurisdiction over all GoI advertisements as well as those issued by the Union Territories, that includes Delhi,” it said adding that the same was pointed out by former LG- who dismissed the Constitution of the said committee by Arvind Kejriwal led government and was reiterated and condoned by the Union Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). (ANI)