Trouble for Sheila! Kejriwal govt to pursue corruption charges against former CM

New Delhi, Feb 15: Delhi's AAP government will pursue allegations of corruption against ex-Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and industrialist Mukesh Ambani and others, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said on Friday. All the cases that were registered last year during Kejriwal government's 49-day stint "will be pursued", Sisodia said.

Sisodia, who had been asked whether the FIRs lodged by the AAP government last year against Mukesh Ambani, the then Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily as also allegations against Dikshit would be pursued, responded "yes, definitely".

The then Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had ordered filing of an FIR on February 11 last year against Moily, his predecessor Murli Deora, who is dead now, and RIL Chief Mukesh Ambani for alleged collusion in hike of prices in natural gas from the KG basin. The then AAP government had also ordered a probe into street light purchase scam during the Commonwealth Games of 2010 in which Dikshit's role had come under the scanner.

Sisodia said the AAP government will "revive" the cases that have been put in cold storage and take them to a "logical conclusion". On its key poll promise of slashing power tariff by 50%, Sisodia said it would be done "as soon as possible".

Alleging wide-spread corruption in the power sector, Sisodia said the new government would force the power distribution companies to give all their financial details to the CAG that is probing their accounts. The CAG audit into the finances of the private power distribution companies was ordered by the Kejriwal government last year.

In its manifesto, AAP had promised to cut power tariff by 50% immediately after coming to power and said the rates will be revised based on the findings of the CAG audit. "CAG audit into the discoms is already going on. We will force them to give all the details to the CAG," Sisodia said.

Sisodia said the AAP government will also soon announce 20 kilolitres (20,000 litres) of free water to every household per month as per its promise. The previous AAP government had introduced the free water scheme but it was discontinued after it quit. "We will bring back the free water scheme which was discontinued after we quit the government as water is basic right," he said.

Asked how the new AAP government will tackle the 'VIP culture' of 'lal battis', he said "all the Ministers will ride ordinary cars".

"Not even the Chief Minister will use red-beacon or hooters on his official car. The AAP government will be a government of simplicity. The Ministers may avail government accomodation but not huge bungalows. They will take normal salary and will not travel with huge security contingents," he said.

PTI