ACB chief Meena facing probe for hawala links: Sisodia

The Delhi Assembly felt the tremors of the continuing friction between the Delhi government and Lieutenant Governor over M K Meena’s appointment as the Anti-Corruption Branch chief.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Friday hinted at suspected hawala links of the police officer. 

A little before the matter came up in the Assembly, Meena, who is the LG-appointed ACB chief, met Jung amid speculation that the Raj Niwas close to taking a tough decision against AAP-nominated ACB chief S S Yadav for misbehaviour and threat to commit suicide.

Sisodia told members of the Assembly that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sent a “secret note” to the Union Home Ministry about Meena’s alleged involvement in a curtain purchase scam, when he was posted elsewhere.

The Deputy Chief Minister also claimed that the ACB was also looking into a complaint alleging Meena’s involvement in hawala racket.

He said the Delhi High Court has also observed that the Home Ministry has no role in notifying the appointment of an ACB chief.

Chandni Chowk legislator Alka Lamba said: “Meena should not have been appointed as the ACB chief. After so many serious charges have surfaced against him, the Home Ministry should take strong action against him.”

Sources said the Delhi government has decided to file a fresh application in the ongoing litigation challenging the Centre’s notification giving Jung absolute powers to appoint bureaucrats in the capital.

While Meena, who is a Joint Commissioner of Police, has accused Yadav, who is junior and ranked Additional Commissioner of Police, of not cooperating with him, the latter has alleged that Meena threatened him.

According to sources, Yadav has sent three complaints about Meena’s alleged high-handed behaviour to Delhi’s government’s Department of Vigilance, which comes under Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

Sisodia has forwarded the complaints to Lt Governor Najeeb Jung and Delhi Police Commissioner Bhim Sain Bassi, they added.

“Meena is trying to threaten and pressurise me into providing FIRs filed with the Anti-Corruption Bureau pertaining to Delhi Police officials and interfering in the working of ACB.”

Meena on Wednesday went to Yadav’s office and asked for the FIR book following which a heated argument broke out between the two as Yadav refused to provide what was sought.

Meena has sent a notice to Yadav citing legal implications if the latter does not share the FIRs. Meena, a 1989-batch Indian Police Service officer, took charge of ACB on June 8 after he was appointed by Jung, sidelining Yadav who was earlier posted by Kejriwal as the ACB chief.