Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 15:59:33
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.90 2.00%
  1. ICICI Bank share price
  2. 1,095.75 1.08%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,448.20 0.52%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 428.55 0.13%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.05 2.21%
Business News/ Politics / News/  Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleges a scam of 6000 crores in MCD
BackBack

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia alleges a scam of ₹6000 crores in MCD

The Deputy CM wrote to Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter

Manish Sisodia also highlighted that the Delhi Municipal Corporation has suffered a loss of about ₹16,000 crores due to the scam. (HT)Premium
Manish Sisodia also highlighted that the Delhi Municipal Corporation has suffered a loss of about 16,000 crores due to the scam. (HT)

Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia on Wednesday alleged a massive toll tax scam in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD). The Deputy CM wrote to Delhi's Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena and demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter.

"I request to draw your attention towards a very big corruption of Delhi Municipal Corporation. The matter should be immediately investigated by the CBI strict action should be taken against the officials and leaders involved in the scam. The matter pertains to the toll tax to be collected from commercial vehicles entering Delhi," read the letter.

Manish Sisodia also highlighted that the Delhi Municipal Corporation has suffered a loss of about 16,000 crores due to the scam. "I have written to the LG demanding a CBI probe into the toll tax scam of 6,000 crore in Municipal Corporation of Delhi. The money collected from 10 lakh commercial vehicles coming to Delhi everyday was embezzled in connivance," Sisodia said in a tweet.

He alleged that the contract for the toll collection for the vehicles coming from Uttar Pradesh or Haryana side in Delhi was given to a private firm and as per the contract, the developer company was to pay 1200 crore to the MCD but only paid 20 to 30 per cent in the years following 2017.

He claimed the company was to pay 1200 crores every year. "In the first year, the money was given to the municipal corporation. But after that, in connivance with the leadership of the municipal corporation, it almost stopped giving money .... sometimes only 20 per cent or 30 per cent was paid," the letter added.

Sisodia also stressed that the MCD never took an action against the infrastructure firm for four years.

The AAP leader claimed that a new contract was given to the former's sister company with an even lower amount as a payback to MCD. "This should be investigated," claimed Sisodia.

He also listed that the new firm was given a relief of 86 crores during the Coronavirus pandemic.

AAP's MCD in-charge and MLA Durgesh Pathak had on Tuesday alleged that there was a large-scale scam in toll tax collection and that it was caused by BJP leaders, who were then in power in MCD, in connivance with two private firms.

He had said every day, 10 lakh commercial vehicles come to Delhi and tax was collected from those vehicles but it allegedly did not reach the MCD.

"It is a major scam and we demand that this should be investigated. If the matter is properly investigated, senior BJP leaders and MCD officials will be in prison. They have looted thousands of crores of taxpayers' money," Pathak had said on Tuesday.

In a statement, the MCD had later termed the allegations as "baseless and without facts".

Reacting to Sisodia's allegations, Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor on Wednesday said there was no such scam in the MCD.

"No scam has taken place in MCD in toll tax collection. Sisodia's letter to Lt Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena alleging toll tax collection scam in MCD reflects his frustration over the ongoing inquires into scams in excise department and the school class room construction," he said in a statement.

Kapoor clarified that after construction of Eastern-Western corridor in 2018, the commercial vehicles which crossed Delhi to go to other states have stopped coming in and as a result, Delhi's toll tax collection has dropped by around 70 per cent.

Due to this, the then toll tax collection contractor, who had taken annual contract at 1,260 crores, suffered huge loss in collections. Contractor partially paid MCD and quit the work thereafter, he said.

"After the contractor quit, the MCD forfeited his security deposit and launched legal recovery proceedings. At present, toll tax collection contract is with a company Shahkar Global which is regularly making proper payments for the last two years," Kapoor said.


Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Politics News and Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
More Less
Published: 11 Aug 2022, 06:13 AM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App