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The Congress has demanded the resignation of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley alleging that he is responsible for the “financial irregularities” in Delhi and District Cricket Association when he was its chairman between 1999 and 2013. The party said the irregularities are being probed by the Company Law Board and Serious Fraud Investigation Office, both under the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, where he is the Minister.
Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken said in a joint statement here on Wednesday that the drama over CBI raids in Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s Principal Secretary’s offices is to save Jaitley and his colleague office bearers of DDCA from a speedy inquiry and prosecution for serious financial irregularities. He said Kejriwal government sat on a report by a committee that probed the entire issue. He released a copy of the report to the media.
Maken added that Delhi government does not have the power to file a case without the approval of the Lieutenant General and the Home Ministry. He asked Kejriwal why didn’t he approach the Delhi High Court and demanded a court-monitored probe into the matter. “We also demand that pending the completion of inquiry through a JPC, Arun Jaitley steps down, failing which the PM should sack him,” Maken said.
The Congress leaders said the erstwhile UPA government ordered a probe into the matter by the Company Law Board. “Now the question arises is that the offences are being looked at by Company Law Board on charges against the officers of DDCA for irregularities during the time Jaitely was the President of DDCA. How can we expect a fair probe when Jaitely himself is the Finance Minister,” Maken asked.
“Jaitley is now heading the important Ministry of Finance and virtually all enforcement authorities, ED, IT, Revenue Intelligence, SFIO etc. directly report to him. The same agencies are supposed to take action against DDCA for infraction of various rules and norms of the companies act and under criminal law,” Maken added.
He said irregularities such as escalation in the construction of Ferozshah Kotla Stadium, no record of tender for most of the contracts, illegal constructed 10 Corporate Boxes in the stadium, non-disclosure of annual accounts and non-maintenance of accounts of expenditure were happened during Jaitley’s tenure. “All such information is already available with Delhi government and a detailed report on November 17, 2015 was submitted by a Committee constituted Kejriwal to inquire into the wrongdoings of the DDCA. However, Delhi government has taken no action since last one month,” Maken said.
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