Delhi L-G VK Saxena has decided to pursue legal action against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders – Saurabh Bhardwaj, Atishi, Durgesh Pathak and Jasmine Shah, among others – for making “defamatory” and false allegations against him in relation to a “scam” in 2016 when he was Chairperson of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC), officials said.
AAP leaders had alleged his involvement in the scam, where two cashiers had allegedly exchanged old Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 bank notes at Khadi Bhawan sites.
AAP MLAs had on Monday entered the well of the Delhi Assembly holding placards, alleging that Saxena had “forced” KVIC employees to convert Rs 1,400 crore ‘black money’ into ‘white money’. They also held an overnight protest at the Delhi Assembly, demanding a CBI probe against him.
Officials in the L-G office said the allegations of corruption were probed by the CBI and the chargesheet had been filed.
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“It may be known that the CBI has already inquired into the case at the behest of KVIC and has filed the chargesheet as well. The people on the basis of whose statements these allegations are being manufactured against the L-G are the two people who have prima facie been found to be engaged in corruption at KVIC after demonetisation… The L-G has taken a serious view of these blatantly false, defamatory and obviously diversionary allegations made by AAP leaders and has decided to take legal action against them,” officials said.
Officials said that in November 2016, KVIC officials found out that some demonetised notes were deposited in the account of Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan (KGB), New Delhi, on different dates.
“The matter was then referred to the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of KVIC for investigation and action. The CBI was also informed accordingly and on the basis of this information, a joint surprise check was conducted by them in April 2017. The CVO recommended the suspension and transfer of… four officials of KGB, New Delhi. As per the advice of the CVO, all these four officers/staff were immediately suspended and transferred to different places for conducting free and fair inquiry… CBI, after thorough investigation, found the involvement of only two persons… both head cashiers, in depositing the demonetised notes and registered an FIR in July 2017. CBI has already filed chargesheet against the two and the matter is pending in the Rouse Avenue Court, New Delhi,” the official said.