Expect more turf wars as reports suggest 40% of cases by ACB are against Delhi cops

There has been much tension between the AAP government and the Centre over the past one month, and things are likely to worsen. This is because almost 40 percent of cases initiated by the state government’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) is against the Delhi Police.

The Times of India reports _, “The branch is looking into 400 complaints, of which 150 are against cops. As such it anticipates resistance from the police department.”_

While the Arvind Kejriwal government and Jung were already embroiled in a tussle over the Centre’s decision to give absolute power to Jung, a fresh row began when the AAP government wanted to recruit five police officers from Bihar in the ACB and Jung said any such move will need his prior sanction.

According to The Times of India , “While the ACB is struggling to fill vacancies for eight ACPs, 17 sub-inspectors and nine inspectors, the state government proposes to increase its strength to 300 from 110 at present. The first budget of the AAP government is expected to make provision to strengthen the branch for fighting corruption. “

And the problems don’t end there. PTI reports the Home Ministry is mulling empowering the Delhi Police Commissioner to file appeal in court cases and appoint public prosecutors without taking the city government’s nod, a move which is unlikely to go down well with the AAP dispensation.

If this comes into effect, the Delhi government’s role in taking decision on whether to file an appeal in a higher court in any case and on appointing public prosecutors will be completely eliminated, official sources said.

Delhi Police and ACB had recently come face to face after some of the former’s men were arrested by the anti-graft unit for allegedly accepting bribe.

The move to induct policemen from Bihar also seems to be aimed at reducing ACB’s reliance on Delhi Police as till now all its officers were derived from them.

With PTI inputs