NEW DELHI, Mar 28: Arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged liquor policy scam, the Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has now been accused of holding up the probe in the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College sexual harassment case.
The fresh allegation against Mr Kejriwal was launched on Thursday by the Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena who alleged that the transfer file of the accused principal in the sexual harassment case had been held up by Mr Kejriwal for the last 45 days.
This comes days after Delhi Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj urged LG Saxena to take action against the accused principal. A release issued by the L-G’s office on Thursday stated, “Even as Delhi’s Health Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj has been crying foul over the alleged sexual harassment at Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College and demanding the removal of its principal, the file for his transfer has been held up for nearly 45 days by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal himself.”
“Saurabh Bhardwaj, in a note to LG VK Saxena on March 20, 2024, demanded the immediate removal of Ishwar Singh from his post, alleging that he was uncooperative with the girl victims in the matter and that he discouraged/demotivated them from pursuing the case further,” it added.
While addressing the delay in the decision of removal of the prime accused from the position of authority, Mr Saxena also questioned the “motive” of the AAP government in the national capital.
The release stated, “But what raises serious doubts over the government’s motive is the fact that the file for the removal/transfer of Ishwar Singh from Baba Saheb Ambedkar Medical College has been pending with CM Kejriwal since February 14, 2024, as the same has to be decided by the NCCSA, which is chaired by the Chief Minister. Member Secretary (NCCSA) had also sent reminders to the CM on March 7, 2024 and March 13, 2024, but to no avail.”
This comes on the backdrop of Arvind Kejriwal’s ED remand getting extended till April 1 by the Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday.
(Manas Dasgupta)
