Delhi Chief Secretary Faces Suspension & CBI Probe for Lucrative Collaboration Allegations
Delhi’s Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar is facing potential suspension and a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) probe after being accused of orchestrating a profitable collaboration between a company in which his son is a partner and the Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS). The allegations were presented in a vigilance minister’s report, which was subsequently sent by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena.
The report, submitted by vigilance minister Atishi on Friday, suggests that Kumar used his position to facilitate this collaboration, which is now under scrutiny. However, Kumar has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and has accused individuals with vested interests of initiating a character assassination against him, retaliating for previous vigilance actions taken against them for corruption.
The report recommends Kumar’s suspension and proposes a CBI investigation into the matter. An additional report submitted by the vigilance minister on Saturday alleges a deliberate attempt to destroy evidence and erase any trace of irregularities. The report claims that multiple web posts related to the collaboration between the private technology company MetaNix Technologies and ILBS were deleted within 24 hours of Atishi’s initial report to the chief minister.
The report further asserts that the profile of the chief secretary’s son on LinkedIn was erased, as well as the official website and LinkedIn profile of MetaNix. MetaNix, in response, has vehemently denied the allegations, stating that the chief secretary’s son is neither a founder, director, nor employee of their company.
Atishi’s fresh report also highlights the deletion of a post made by ILBS on social media platform X (formerly known as Twitter) regarding the collaboration. ILBS has clarified that the account used for posting was operated by a doctor for academic updates and was not an official handle of the institution.
Sources in close proximity to the chief secretary claim that his son has no involvement in the collaboration as a signatory, shareholder, director, partner, or employee. On Friday, ILBS issued a statement refuting the allegations, deeming them baseless and without merit. The institute confirmed that it did not issue any purchase order or make any payment to the AI software developer or any company.
The vigilance minister’s report alleges the signing of an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) between ILBS and the chief secretary’s son’s company on January 24. This MoU supposedly granted lucrative benefits and joint intellectual property rights to the company, posing potential financial losses to the public exchequer. The report suggests that Kumar violated the All India Services Conduct Rules by utilizing his position for personal gain.
The report also recommends the immediate termination of the MoU. However, it is important to note that these allegations are yet to be proven as the investigation is ongoing.
In light of these serious allegations, the Delhi Chief Secretary’s future hangs in the balance pending the outcome of the suspension and CBI investigation. The case will undoubtedly draw attention to the need for transparency and accountability within government positions.
