Kejriwal dares Centre to move court

NEW DELHI: Delhi government's probe into the alleged irregularities at Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) will continue even though the Centre has declared its commission of inquiry "unconstitutional and illegal".
Daring the Centre to move court to stall the probe, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, who is in Kolkata for Bengal Global Business Summit, tweeted: "DDCA enquiry commission set up by Delhi Government is as per law n constitution of India.Centre's opinion not binding on Del govt," followed by: "Commission will continue work. If LG or MHA or PMO aggrieved, they may approach Court. Only a court order can stop commission's work."
Delhi Government had similarly defied the Centre when it declared the probe into the 'CNG fitness scam' null and void. The matter is in court.
The letter sent by the office of lieutenant governor Najeeb Jung to Delhi chief secretary K K Sharma states that the Home ministry considers the notification issued by Delhi's Directorate of Vigilance unconstitutional and illegal, so it has no legal effect. Explaining the decision, it states that the Commission of Inquiry Act, 1952 does not confer the jurisdiction or power to set up such an inquiry commission on Delhi Government.
Deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia called the communication "MHA's view" and said the state government's inquiry commission cannot be dismissed out of hand.
The AAP government had on December 22 issued a notification to set up a commission of inquiry to probe the alleged financial irregularities in DDCA. The panel is chaired by former solicitor general Gopal Subramaniam, who has contended that Delhi government has the authority to constitute such a probe panel.
The rejection of Delhi government's decision to probe the affairs of DDCA comes on top of a bitter fight between the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government and the Centre after the raid at Delhi Secretariat a month ago. The raid had started a war of words between the two sides, with Kejriwal alleging that it was meant to seize some files purportedly containing details of alleged corruption in DDCA when finance minister Arun Jaitley was its president during 1999-2013.
Meanwhile, Aam Aadmi Party jumped into the controversy claiming that the Centre wanted to "save" Jaitley by declaring Delhi Government's inquiry illegal, and was trying to ensure his "role" during his tenure as head of the cricket body was not exposed.