 "Transport scam: Delhi BJP demands removal of Transport Min")
New Delhi: Delhi BJP today demanded removalof Transport Minister Ramakant Goswami alleging that he was
trying to derail the investigation into multi-crore transportscam which is being probed by Anti Corruption Bureau of DelhiGovernment.
The ACB has been probing the alleged irregularities inaward of contract for fitness test of commercial vehicles to a
private firm in 2008 without inviting any tender.
Delhi BJP president Vijay Goel alleged that Goswamiobtained report of the investigation by ACB “illegally” and
was trying to hush up the probe.
[caption id=“attachment_1062785” align=“alignright” width=“380”]  Delhi Transport Minister Ramakant Goswami promised strict action against those found guilty, even if they were people of the transport department. Image: ibnlive[/caption]
Earlier this month, senior BJP leader Harsh Vardhan hadalleged it was Rs 1,000 crore scam and demanded a CBI inquiryinto it, claiming that investigators were not allowed to carryout a thorough probe as high-profile people including theChief Minister were involved.
Goel today demanded registration of FIR against all thoseinvolved in the scam. He alleged that former TransportMinister Arvinder Singh Lovely and Food and Civil SuppliesMinister Haroon Yusuf were involved in the scam.
“The cases related to this scam should be transferred tothe CBI or an SIT (Special Investigation Team) should beconstituted to probe the scam and bring the guilty to thebook,” Goel said.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsGoel also accused Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and somesenior officials of trying to derail the investigation.“There is evidence on record which shows how the high andthe mighty in Congress have resorted to influence peddling tohush up this huge scam,” he said.
A case was registered in the scam on a complaint of RTIactivist Vivek Garg alleging the contract for lane test of
commercial vehicles for fitness certificates was given by theDelhi government to ESP India flouting the norms.
Yusuf, who was transport minister when the process foraward contract was started, had termed the allegations as
“totally baseless” and “politically motivated”.
The ACB had told the court that it was probing the roleof government officials in alleged corruption in the case. The
investigators had issued notice to former TransportCommissioner R K Verma to join investigation into the alleged
irregularities.
In its report to court last year, the ACB had said thatcontract for crucial fitness test of commercial vehicles was
awarded to the firm without any tender with approval of DelhiCabinet but “no irregularities” could be found on part of theChief Minister.
The ACB had also found that rules were violated to give"undue favour" to ESP India in award of contract.
The investigators had arrested Nitin Mahawat, director ofESP India, and Puran Chand Tamta, CEO of Tambros India Ltd, analliance partner of ESP India on February 26 for allegedlysiphoning off crores of rupees in fitness tests of commercial
vehicles in connivance with the transport department.
A former Deputy Commissioner of Transport Department wasalso arrested.
PTI
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
 "Russian drones over Poland: Trump’s tepid reaction a wake-up call for Nato?")
 "As Russia pushes east, Ukraine faces mounting pressure to defend its heartland")
 "Why Mossad was not on board with Israel’s strike on Hamas in Qatar")
 "Turkey: Erdogan's police arrest opposition mayor Hasan Mutlu, dozens officials in corruption probe")
](https://images.firstpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/delhi_transport_min.jpg){kind=link}