Delhi govt order overlooks Meena's existence in ACB

NEW DELHI: With two chiefs of Anti-Corruption Branch ( ACB) in office one appointed by the LG and the other by the chief minister, Arvind Kejriwal there is no end to confrontation. On Friday , joint commissioner of police (ACB) M K Meena issued directions to the staff that all inquiries be conducted only after his approval.

Within hours, the Delhi government issued an order asserting that the ACB works under overall guidance and supervision of the director, vigilance (also the secretary , vigilance), and that only that person and additional commissioner ACB in this case S S Yadav had jurisdiction over inquiries.

The order overlooks Meena's existence in the ACB, clearly maintaining the government's stand-off with the LG on the matter of jurisidiction. A copy of this order issued under the signature of secretary , vigilance, SK Jain, on Friday evening has been marked to the office of the lieutenant-governor, Najeeb Jung.

Meena's order came a day after a complaint was lodged by a retired inspector against him seeking registration of a case in a matter of alleged corruption in the purchase of curtains.

The government order says that according to the revised rules of procedure for inquiries and investigations by the ACB in keeping with directions of February 17, 1977, the ACB has been placed under the administrative control of the secretary , vigilance, with a view to achieve more objectivity and better coordination.

Through an order dated June 30,1983, the directorate of vigilance was created by merging the ACB and vigilance department and the director of vigilance was designated as head of department of the directorate of vigilance.

“In trap cases, the cases will be registered...by the ACB with the approval of additional commissioner of police, ACB. In all other cases, the ACB shall take prior approval of the director or secretary of vigilance before registering an FIR under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against a public servant," the order asserts.

For registering complaints other than FIRs for investigation, the ACB will conduct a preliminary inquiry with the approval of the secretary, vigilance, it is stated. His approval will be sought also before closing a complaint.

The order further says that complaints received on helpline 1031 relating to corruption by public servants will be received by the ACB. It will then send a status report, on a fortnightly basis, to the directorate of vigilance. The ACP (SS Yadav) shall send a report on important matters -such as FIRs registered, arrests made, convictions etc--to the secretary , vigilance, on a daily basis by 5pm.

The copies of the order have been marked to the LG's office, the office of the CM, chief secretary and additional CP, ACB. It has also been marked to all DCPs, ACPs and SHOs working with ACB. Significantly, it has not been marked to Meena.