CBI probe demanded into 'scandals'

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, FEB. 26. A delegation, under the leadership of Mr. Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, senior national vice-president Lok Janshakti Party and expelled Congress(I) MLA, Mr. Jagdish Anand, today met the Lt.-Governor, Mr. Vijai Kapoor, and demanded a CBI probe into the ``various scandals'' and ``deals'' that have rocked the Delhi Government during the past 26 months.

They also urged Mr. Kapoor to recommend to the President dismissal of the Delhi Government for its ``failure on all fronts'' and charged that all developmental activity had come to a standstill.

The delegation accused the Congress(I) Government of having not been able to fulfill the promises made in the party manifesto. There was also ``administrative crisis'' in Delhi as everything was being directed by courts and the Government had virtually become non-functional.

Mr. Bidhuri and Mr. Anand said that scams to the tune of Rs. 1,000 had surfaced during the Congress regime. They alleged that huge bribes were paid in allotment of 10 prime bus terminals to private parties under the Bhagidari scheme which was a scam of Rs. 500 crores. These allotments were done in violation of all rules and regulations. Similarly, he said another Rs. 300-crore scam had been exposed recently in the leasing of more than 2,200 DTC bus shelters for advertisements and hoardings during the last two years.

They said that while the Government made only Rs. 4 crore from the deal, the private agency given this contract, earned more than Rs. 100 crores per year. This had caused a loss of over Rs. 150 crores during the last two years alone.

Both leaders said another scam had come to light,. Only one company-- Greenlines -- had been given the contract for putting up hoardings on all the roads owned by Delhi Government.

The pointed out that hoardings put on both sides of the flyovers across the city were leased out to private companies, and this was violation of orders of the Supreme Court.

Flaying the Sheila Dixit Government for creating a transportation crisis by failure its to implement the Supreme Court orders of converting diesel buses into CNG, they alleged that money had changed hands in the purchase of CNG buses and then getting bodies mounted on these chassis. The whole government is functioning on a commission basis and nothing moves without money.

Mr.Bidhuri and Mr. Anand said the Delhi Government had during the last two years, failed to spend more than 50 per cent of the Plan outlay. Apart from this, the Chief Minister is already facing a probe in the Lokayukta in the Delhi Jal Board case.

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