The organisational hierarchy of the Delhi government's alleged 'feedback unit' (FBU), which consisted mostly of former police, intelligence and paramilitary officials, was modelled along the lines of the Intelligence Bureau (IB), it is learnt. Former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, in his capacity as head of the vigilance department under which the unit was allegedly created, was Thursday booked by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in relation to alleged irregularities in setting up the unit. With a Joint Director at its helm, the unit had an array of assistant and junior 'feedback officers' – like Assistant and Junior Central Intelligence officers in the IB. Personnel were paid on the basis of attendance which, according to officials who have reviewed documents regarding its functioning, was “100%” throughout the time it was operational, it is learnt. The unit, set up in 2015 with approval from the Delhi Cabinet, allegedly became functional in February 2016, with 17 contractual employees. Its mandate, officials said, was gathering “relevant information and actionable feedback” regarding the working of government departments, autonomous bodies, institutions and entities under the jurisdiction of the Delhi government. Initially, 20 posts under the FBU were to be adjusted against 22 abolished posts of the Delhi government’s Industries Department but 20 of these posts in the FBU were adjusted against 88 posts created in the Anti-Corruption Branch, allegedly without the consent of the Lieutenant Governor’s Secretariat. The unit also had a six vehicle contingent under it, including SUVs and three motorcycles along with supporting staff. A provision of Rs 1 crore was allegedly set aside for ‘Secret Service Expenditure’ for the unit in the annual budget for the Financial Year 2016-17. Between February and November, 2016, over Rs 40 lakh of this was allegedly released to the FBU by way of ‘Secret Service Expenditure’, remuneration, telephone, and other miscellaneous expenses. The CBI’s preliminary enquiry found vouchers supporting expenditure of Rs 2.10 lakh for allegedly engaging a non-existent private detective agency, in addition to 18 others amounting to over Rs 3.47 lakh that were spent as “source” money. These expenses were among the reasons for the vigilance departments’ recommendation to the LG to shut the unit down “immediately to avoid further infructuous/questionable expenditure”.
