Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of trying to crush all anti-corruption forces in the country and unlawfully controlling the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB).
“If somebody commits an act of corruption in Delhi and the Delhi government wants to launch an investigation, shouldn’t it have full independence to take action in this matter. Corrupt people are roaming free and the government is refusing to arrest them,” said Sisodia during a press conference.
Leaders of Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) had met Home Minister Rajnath Singh earlier on Thursday over the law and order situation in the state.
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had targeted the Delhi police, which falls under the control of Centre, over the brutal murder of a 19-year-old in a crowded Delhi market last week. Kejriwal had also demanded that the control of Delhi police be transferred to the state government.
“The Anti-Corruption Branch was earlier quite independent. But the Modi government is keen to crush these forces. The Sub-divisional magistrate of Delhi recently caught two DDA officials red-handedly for committing acts of corruption. But the ACB is refusing to arrest them,” added Sisodia.
Earlier on Tuesday night, AAP leader Dilip Pandey had alleged that a Delhi police van tried to run him over outside a police station in west Delhi.
“I am shocked that Delhi Police is trying to eliminate me,” he told reporters.
Delhi police chief BS Bassi had said he would investigate the matter but that he had never heard such a complaint before in his life.
Ever since taking over the Delhi government in February, AAP has fought for the transfer of important departments that are not under the local government’s control, including police, land and law and order.
In the latest battle with Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung and the Centre, AAP had to recently face cancellation orders for its latest recruitment Swati Maliwal as Delhi Commission for Women chief.
