Delhi Minister Inspects Night Shelters, Flags Corruption, Warns of CBI Probe

Delhi's Urban Development Minister Ashish Sood conducted a surprise inspection of five night shelters at Sarai Kale Khan parking site on Thursday and flagged serious irregularities.

Slamming the shelters as "corruption hubs" under the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government, Mr Sood warned of a possible Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe if required over the alleged mismanagement.

Accompanied by the officials from the Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB), Mr Sood pulled up both department staff and NGOs responsible for managing the shelters, citing missing attendance registers, unclean conditions, and cases of poor laborers being exploited by the shelter management.

"The condition of these shelters is appalling. What was supposed to be a refuge for the homeless has been turned into a racket where poor residents are made to work for Rs 5,000-6,000 while lakhs are siphoned off from government funds," the Minister said.

According to the Minister, complaints about the poor functioning of night shelters had been surfacing for a long time through citizen letters and public memorandums. He alleged a "massive scam" carried out in collusion between AAP-linked NGOs and government officials.

Mr Sood accused AAP leaders and affiliated NGOs of defrauding the public exchequer under the guise of social work. "No register, no staff, no basic facilities - this is how the previous regime functioned. We cannot tolerate this betrayal of the city's most vulnerable," he stated.

"If needed, we will hand this over to the CBI. No one, be it political leaders, NGOs, or officials, will be spared if found guilty of looting the funds meant for the poor," Mr Sood told NDTV

He also directed DUSIB to fix accountability on responsible officers and warned the agency running the shelters to strictly adhere to quality standards or face stern action. 

While visiting the shelter homes, Mr Sood also interacted with some of the residents and assured them that no night shelter would be demolished and dismissed rumors to the contrary, instructing police to act against those spreading misinformation.