‘Do you want to make Delhi a CBI state?’, Pawan Khera asks BJP

Congress leader Pawan Khera, while hitting out at the Centre over Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana’s appointment as the Delhi Police Commissioner, said it was in “direct contravention” of a Supreme Court judgment.

NEW DELHI — Pawan Khera, National Spokesperson of the Congress party, on Wednesday slammed the ruling BJP government at the Centre of turning Delhi into a CBI state.

Pawan Khera, while hitting out at the Centre over Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana’s appointment as the Delhi Police Commissioner, said it was in “direct contravention” of a Supreme Court judgment and asked whether any “quid pro quo” was involved.

Mr Pawan Khera asked, “Don’t you want to hire an officer in Delhi who has experience in policing? Do you want to make Delhi a CBI state? What is your intention? How do you want to misuse Delhi Police?”

He went on to say, “You made the person who was the Finance Secretary during Rafale’s time as CAG. This person did not even take the descent note of the Indian Negotiation Team on record. This is “quid pro quo”.

“Why are you imposing such an officer on Delhi by bringing such an officer from the back door? I ask you again what are you afraid of them? What secrets do you have with them that you are making him Delhi’s Police Commissioner?” he asked.

According to Pawan Khera, “Suddenly a notification comes at night. This government does all such work only around 8 o’clock in the night.”

“In your view, there is no respect of UPSC, nor any institution. You are insulting even the order of Hon’ble Supreme Court. What is your compulsion? What are you afraid of?” the Congress leader asked BJP.

Mr Pawan said that there were four days left for Rakesh Asthana’s retirement. “Last night, the Home Ministry took out an order and made him the Commissioner of Delhi Police with one year extension,” he noted.

It is pertinent to mention here that Rakesh Asthana, a senior IPS officer of the Gujarat cadre, was appointed the Commissioner of Delhi Police on Tuesday. He took charge as the Commissioner of Delhi Police on Wednesday.

A 1984-batch IPS officer, Mr Asthana had earlier served as the special director of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). During his stint in the CBI, he was engaged in an unsavoury spat with the then CBI Director Alok Verma with both of them levelling allegations of corruption against each other.

While clearing his appointment, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, approved the inter-cadre deputation from Gujarat to Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre.