Centre asks CBI probe in the purchase of 1,000 air-conditioned low floor buses by the Delhi government

The Centre has recommended a CBI probe in the purchase of 1,000 air-conditioned low floor buses by the Delhi government, a matter which has been a bone of contention between ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with the latter levelling corruption allegations in the procurement.

People familiar with the development said on Thursday the ministry of home affairs (MHA), after examining the report submitted by Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal-appointed three-member panel, which it says recommended a “detailed enquiry”, has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation to register a preliminary enquiry (PE) in the matter.

A PE is the precursor to a First Information Report (FIR), during which agency carries out investigations to ascertain whether a cognizable offence is made out or not.

The Delhi government termed the move as “harassment” by the Centre.

“There is absolutely no truth to these allegations. A committee was already set up to investigate the matter thoroughly, which gave a clean chit. It is a politically motivated conspiracy against AAP. The BJP wants to prevent the people of Delhi from getting new buses,” the Delhi government said in a statement.

“In the past as well, the Centre has tried to harass the Delhi government using the CBI, but not even once has their attempt been successful because there has never been any truth to any of their allegations. The Delhi government does not believe in the politics of slander, it only believes in good governance and is committed to delivering upon its promise of good governance,” it added.

Incidentally, as reported by HT in the second week of July, the L-G-appointed panel gave a clean chit to the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) in the tendering and procurement of the buses; except finding some “procedural lapses” arising out of “a bona fide decision making”.

“The tendering process of purchase of buses warrants no interference and suffers from no major infirmity… The committee, prima facie, did not come across any material to impute criminal misconduct attributable to any public official,” the report said.

There were only procedural lapses apparently arising out of a bona fide decision-making process. However, a greater effort for understanding the market and a higher degree of due diligence in assessing reasonableness of bids was required compared to what seems to have been demonstrated,” it added.

The DTC, which comes under the Delhi government, in March last year, floated a tender for procurement of 1,000 CNG low-floor buses and issued another tender for allotting the annual maintenance contract (AMC) for these buses four months later.