Veerappa Moily trying to seek extension for ONGC chairman Sudhir Vasudeva, accuses AAP

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party ( AAP) today accused Union Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily of trying to seek extension for ONGC chairman Sudhir Vasudeva, who is to retire tomorrow, and claimed he was appointed by the government despite the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) rejecting his clearance twice.

"CVC had pointed out that that a petition relating to KG basin was pending in the high court and that the CVC itself had sought a report from the ministry on these issues," party leader Prashant Bhushan told reporters here.

"But Moily over-ruled the CVC and sought to give him (Vasudeva) an extension against the said recommendation without a vigilance clearance," he said.

Bhushan claimed that the UPA government chose Vasudeva for appointment as CMD of ONGC in October 2010, but then his vigilance clearance was rejected by the CVC.

The UPA government again sought his vigilance clearance which was rejected for the second time by CVC, he said.

He alleged that despite this, the UPA government appointed Vasudeva as the CMD of ONGC in October 2011.