Centre trying to "save the corrupt" in CNG fitness scam: AAP

NEW DELHI: Stung over the arrest of its legislator Surinder Singh and the Ministry of Home Affairs declaring the Delhi government constituted commission to probe the alleged CNG fitness scam as "legally invalid and void" the AAP today accused the Centre of targeting the state government and "saving the corrupt".

Attacking the BJP, AAP leader Ashutosh said the Home Ministry terming the commission to probe the scam as "legally invalid and void" is a clear constitutional impropriety and questioned the Centre's move to "snatch" the state government's power to set up an inquiry panel.

He alleged the Centre was trying to "protect" the politicians and bureaucrats involved in the scam.

"The move is a direct compromise with corruption and a desperate move to shield the Lt Governor of Delhi ( Najeeb Jung) whose role in CNG scam is suspect.

"It is beyond reasonable understanding as to why the Narendra Modi government is trying to bury the multi-crore scam which continued during the Sheila Dixit regime in which many ministers, bureaucrats are under the scanner," Ashutosh said.

He said it is intriguing that Jung "overlooked" the key findings of two probe agencies - the Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) - instead of recusing himself from any further deliberation in any matter.

"The desperate attempt by the Modi government to stonewall the probe into the CNG fitness scam, in which at least Rs 100 crore of the taxpayers money was looted by a political-bureaucrat-corporate nexus, completely exposes the BJP's attempts to cover-up the Congress corruption," AAP's Delhi unit secretary Saurabh Bharadwaj said.

Defending AAP MLA Surinder Singh, the party said the legislator was resisting the alleged attempt of NDMC officials taking bribe from a vendor, but he did not assault him.

Ashutosh also expressed surprise over booking Singh under the sections of ST/SC Act as he was not even aware that the NDMC official belonged to a particular caste, leave alone abusing him.