Seeking transfer to Centre, DDCA probe chief alleges pressure

In December, the AAP blamed Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who was DDCA president till 2013, for the alleged irregularities, following which he filed a defamation case against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders.

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In a letter to Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi on December 28, Sanghi made a request for central deputation and also brought up issued connected to the DDCA. “There was a lot of pressure from various stakeholders since the subject was very controversial. There were a lot of yesteryear cricket luminaries who were very vocal about the alleged mismanagement in DDCA. There was an impending cricket Test match with South Africa in the first week of December,” he wrote.

Chetan Sanghi, a Principal Secretary in the Vigilance Department, who is now on leave, has written about the alleged pressure in a letter to Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi. (Source: File)

“The media speculation was also rife with various angles to the issue. The complaints were pouring thick and fast and many of these were from important people and had allegations by name. There was considerable emphasis on naming who were at fault and in particular a certain VIP. But since the formal mandate was not to do so, a very tight rope walk was taken. The short time frame of three days also didn’t particularly help matters,” Sanghi wrote.
Asked about Sanghi’s claims and his request for central deputation, Delhi Transport Minister Gopal Rai said, “Why is the official writing to Union Home Secretary? We have formed an inquiry commission. Anyone with complaints should approach the commission.”

Sanghi, a 1988-batch AGMUT cadre, also detailed two Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) probes against him in the letter to Mehrishi. The cases were connected to his earlier stints as the CMD of the Delhi State Industrial And Infrastructure Development Corporation between 2010 and 2012. “Promptly there were allegations in the media by political parties that these actions are on account of vendetta. I am not personally aware about the cause of these actions but have been distraught by the same,” Sanghi said in the letter.

The letter, with the subject line, ‘Representation for deputation’, also said, “This is to bring to your kind notice certain developments that have taken place recently i.e after my posting with the Delhi Administration and seek your kind indulgence.”

After serving as the Chief Secretary in Puducherry, Sanghi was transferred to the Delhi government as Principal Secretary Urban Development with additional charge of Public Works, Industries and Vigilance departments.