The Hindu : New Delhi News : Probe smart card deal: BJP

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Saturday, Jan 07, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Probe smart card deal: BJP

Staff Reporter

Jagdish Mukhi lodges complaint with CVC against irregularities

NEW DELHI: A delegation of Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party legislators led by the Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, Jagdish Mukhi, on Friday lodged a formal complaint with the Chief Vigilance Commissioner against gross irregularities allegedly committed by officials of the State Transport Department in implementing the smart card scheme for registration of new vehicles in the Capital.

Demanding a probe into the deal of awarding the smart card issuing business to a private firm, Mr. Mukhi accused senior officials of the Department, including a former Transport Commissioner, of committing serious irregularities and violating all rules and regulations in obliging the private firm that was already involved in various financial irregularities. Mr. Mukhi said the Chief Ministers' Office and that of the Transport Minister were aware about the whole issue and violation of norms but allowed wrongdoing to take place. "It is amazing that in order to oblige a private company, the Delhi Government issued arbitrary orders on the issue of replacing Registration Certificates with smart optical cards at rates that were much higher than those prevailing or being charged in other States."

Mr. Mukhi said he had also sought information about the agreement between the Delhi Government and the private company under the Right to Information Act and after going through the various terms and conditions and tender document he had come to the conclusion that gross irregularities had been committed and all fingers pointed towards a multi-crore scam that needs to be probed further. He demanded that the CVC enquire into all the irregularities and issue orders to roll back the conditions the Delhi Government had imposed on the people of Delhi in the name of issuing smart optical cards.

At the same time, Mr. Mukhi also sought strong action against the former Transport Commissioner, one of the main persons behind the scheme.

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