Delhi government website still shows S S Yadav as ACB chief despite M K Meena's appointment

NEW DELHI: The complaint against principal secretary Rajendra Kumar in the anti-corruption branch is being viewed by AAP as another face-off between the Delhi government and the Centre. The inquiry into the allegations is embroiled in utter confusion with two ACB chiefs working independently of each other. While M K Meena, who has been appointed by the LG, seems to have taken charge of the probe against Kumar, the official he replaced, S S Yadav, has been shown as the ACB chief on the Delhi government website.

"Meena is joint commissioner (New Delhi) and was given additional charge of ACB. That in itself is illegal since it is a direct conflict of interest. Someone heading the ACB cannot hold any other charge. In any case, we do not count Meena as ACB chief and as soon as courts open after the summer vacation, we will take legal recourse against this illegal order by LG Najeeb Jung. As far as the government is concerned, it is Yadav who is ACB chief, not Meena," said a government source.

Meanwhile, as Yadav said that procedure would be followed in this complaint, a senior government official said Kumar was in the clear and the complaint against him by bureaucrat Ashish Joshi had no basis. "It is an old issue that Joshi has complained about, which has no basis. It is worth asking why this complaint, even if it were to be believed, is being made right now. Let ACB follow procedure and unravel the truth," added the source.

AAP sources claim the entire tussle over the appointment of the ACB chief and the removal of home secretary has to do with pressure from police after ACB took action against two cops. "ACB had been lying defunct till the new government took over. After cases were registered against two police officers, in one case the LG writing to the CM to ask for the case to be transferred to Delhi Police, there is this sudden change in ACB chief. Evidently, the investigation has ruffled some feathers," said a senior party member.