CBI set upon MCD engineers
The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the CBI to initiate a criminal inquiry against all engineers responsible for the growth of unauthorised constructions in the city.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the CBI to initiate a criminal inquiry against all engineers responsible for the growth of unauthorised constructions in the city. It also asked the CBI to probe their nexus with builders and politicians.
A division bench of justices Vijender Jain and Rekha Sharma asked the CBI director to constitute a task force -- to be headed by an official not below the rank of joint director -- to deal with the probe and submit a report within a month.
The CBI probe will cover officials against whom the MCD had initiated a departmental inquiry, those dismissed from service and those who have retired but under whose tenure illegalities flourished.
The directions came after the court observed that the MCD has failed to act on its orders to take action against corrupt officials. While rejecting MCD;s ATR, Justice Jain said: "What is this? MCD has completely stopped following orders? Enough is enough. We're convinced that you cannot take action against the corrupt.”
He said stern action should be taken against the corrupt engineers: "A person cannot be allowed to work if he has by negligence, apathy or connivance allowed unauthorised constructions to mushroom in the city."
Earlier, the MCD's counsel, Jagmohan Sabharwal, said the civic body had taken an "unprecedented" step against corrupt officials by dismissing 17 executive engineers. He said 17 superintending engineers were facing an inquiry. The court shot it down, saying: "Why only 17? What happens to the junior engineers and assistant engineers? We'd asked you to take action top downwards."
Also, the four court commissioners submitted their reports, saying MCD officials did not co-operate with them and did not take action against violators even after being alerted.
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