Water tanker scam: ACB sends notice to Sheila Dikshit

New Delhi, July 14: The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has sent notice to Sheila Dikshit asking her to join the investigation in connection with the alleged Rs 400-crore water tanker scam even as the former Delhi Chief Minister dubbed the charges as "politically motivated".

Special Commission of Police and ACB Chief MK Meena today said, "Notices have been sent to Sheila Dixit and few Delhi Jal Board officials. They shall be questioned on July 26." Asked by reporters what happens if Dikshit fails to turn up before the ACB despite the notice, Meena said, "We can't predict anything in this regard. We are taking action as per law."

The notices were sent yesterday under the provisions of section 160 of the CrPC. "As I have said (in the past) this is a politically motivated thing, that's all," Dikshit said.

A case was registered by the ACB on June 20 in connection with the alleged scam linking Dikshit. The ACB had received two complaints with regard to the alleged scam and those named in the complaints included Dikshit and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Meena had then said that both Dikshit and Kejriwal will be quizzed in connection with the matter. A week prior to registration of the case, the Delhi Government had sent a report of a fact-finding committee on the scam to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung.

Delhi BJP leader Vijender Gupta had also filed a complaint with Jung accusing Kejriwal of "suppressing" the committee's report for 11 months. The Lt Governor had forwarded the committee's report as well as Gupta's complaint to the ACB.

Delhi's Water Minister Kapil Mishra too had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Jung recommending either CBI or ACB probe against Dikshit in connection with the alleged scam.

Mishra had stated that the report of the committee suggested that the acts of omission and commission by the DJB under Dikshit had resulted in loss of approximately Rs 400 crore to the exchequer.

PTI