File picture of Delhi Chief minister Shiela Dikshit
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit faces a potentially embarrassing police complaint or First Information Report (FIR) for allegedly misusing government funds for an ad campaign before the 2008 state polls.
A trial court had on Saturday asked the police to file an FIR against the Chief Minister on a complaint alleging that she had misused Rs. 22.5 crore from official funds for a grand publicity campaign to promote herself ahead of the last assembly election.
Amid calls by the BJP for her resignation on moral grounds, the state government today challenged the order in the Delhi High Court.
If the plea is rejected, the police have to file an FIR against the chief minister, unless the government goes to the Supreme Court. A police investigation would come as a major setback for Ms Dikshit ahead of the Delhi polls later this year.
The complainant, BJP leader Vijender Gupta, had earlier gone to the Delhi police and the state Lokayukta or ombudsman, Justice Manmohan Sarin.
He had alleged that state funds were used for "a large number of hoardings showing pictures of UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Sheila Dikshit all over Delhi Metro, bus shelters and also in form of radio jingles, TV spots".
Ms Dikshit was also the minister in charge of information and publicity at the time.
In May, the Delhi Lokayukta had indicted Ms Dikshit in the case and asked President Pranab Mukherjee to 'advise' her to reimburse at least half the money - Rs 11 crore - either with her personal funds or through her Congress party.