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With the PMO asking the Home Ministry to take follow-up action on Shunglu report on CWG projects, the Delhi Government now wants a “thorough” probe by “competent” central agencies into alleged irregularities pointed out by the PM-appointed panel before any punitive step is taken.
“We will seek specific inquiry into specific allegations by competent agencies. We cannot punish anybody based on findings of the Shunglu committee,” a top official of the Delhi Government, which had slammed the report as a “product of paranoia”, told PTI.
The Prime Minister's Office earlier this month had referred the Shunglu Committee findings on alleged irregularities by certain Delhi Government departments to the Home Ministry for further action.
“The Chief Technical Examination Wings of the Central Vigilance Commission may be asked to investigate the technical irregularities while Chief Vigilance Officer of CPWD may be asked to probe other allegations,” said the official.
The city government has already asked officials whose names figure in the Shunglu Committee report to submit their response in writing to the government as soon as possible.
Besides holding various agencies responsible for “irregularities”, the probe panel has also found procedural violations by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor, Mr Tejinder Khanna, and the Chief Minister, Ms Sheila Dixit, for alleged inadequacies in executing certain CWG projects.
“There cannot be short-cut in investigation process. Due procedures must be followed. Maximum care must be taken to ensure that no innocent official is punished,” said the official.
The Home Ministry is likely to seek reply from Mr Khanna and Ms Dixit and other agencies concerned, held responsible by the Shunglu panel for lack of oversight and decisions that led to cost-escalation. The administration of Delhi comes under the control of the Home Ministry.
The city government had rejected the Shunglu committee report, terming it as a “product of paranoia” which is “full of contradictions” and “anomalies.”
In its brief report to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, in response to the findings of the Shunglu Committee, the city government last month had rejected almost all the findings of the panel and instead accused it of deliberately choosing to adopt a logic of “convenience” in finding corruption in every policy and every tender of the government.
The government is now preparing a detailed report in response to the committee findings.
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