Politics behind AAP's frivolous claims: LG

Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung on Thursday said the ruling AAP was making frivolous claims over the murder of NDMC official M M Khan to draw political mileage.

 On a day when the ruling AAP again targeted Jung by claiming his interference in a case related to the licence of NDMC’s Connaught Hotel, the Raj Niwas said, “The murder is a grave tragedy for the family of Khan. Everyone understands that the claims of the Aam Aadmi Party are frivolous and therefore the attempt to draw political mileage from this tragedy is sad.”

 In a related development, the Delhi Congress sought a CBI probe into the matter and slammed both the AAP government and the BJP-led central government for trying to gain political mileage out of Khan’s murder.

 Earlier, refuting the claims of the AAP social media team that LG wrote a letter on the hotel issue to the NDMC a day after Khan’s killing on May 17, a Raj Niwas statement said the hotel licence issue was “dealt strictly as per rules and procedure”.

 Denying any laxity in the murder case, the LG’s office said, “The police arrested seven people within 24 hours, full recovery was made and further investigations are on. Further, on receipt of a proposal from the Hon’ble Chief Minister, the LG promptly approved a compensation of Rs 1 crore to the family of the deceased officer.”

 The Raj Niwas statement said a letter from M/s Prominent Hotels Limited – owned by Ramesh Kakkar who has now been arrested for Khan’s murder - was submitted by Maheish Girri, MP, East Delhi to the LG on May 10, 2016, stating that in any dispute between the Licencee and the Licensor, arbitration would rest before Lieutenant Governor under Clause 54 of the Licence Deed dated 16 July 1982.

 “This letter was forwarded to Chairperson, New Delhi Municipal Council vide U.O. No. RN/16/A-3212 dated May 11, 2016 for necessary action as per law,” said the statement.

 “Subsequently, an arbitration petition dated May 12, 2016 was also submitted by the same Licencee in this Secretariat. This was also forwarded to NDMC chairperson, for being legally examined and to intimate action taken/position in the matter,” said the statement.

 “It needs to be mentioned that the matter had been duly processed on file in this Secretariat on May 16 prior to the tragic death of Khan (on the same evening), and the letter dated May 17 was issued in the normal course, without the knowledge of the tragic death,” said the LG’s office.

 In response to the above, vide two letters dated May 19 and June 3 the Joint Director (Estates), NDMC, said that the hotel’s licence deed had been cancelled and the cancellation was upheld by the Supreme Court and the arbitration clause did not survive and the said reference had been filed by NDMC.

The position was duly noted in this Secretariat and vide letter dated June 22 of this Secretariat, NDMC chairman was directed to ensure effective and expeditious action in the matter in pursuance the Supreme Court order as also take all consequential action as per law, it said. In a related development, the Delhi Congress hit out at both the BJP-led central government and the AAP government in the city for attempts to gain political mileage  out of Khan’s murder.

Congress chief  Ajay Maken tweeted, “Shame-Both Union& State Gov sitting on Dharnas to gain political mileage out of Khan Murder- High Court monitored CBI inquiry only solution.”

Khan, an estate officer of NDMC, was shot dead in Jamia Nagar on May 16, a day before he was scheduled to pass the final order on the lease terms of the hotel which was functioning on a property leased out by the civic body.