'Anti-Corruption Body Ordering BMWs Tragic Irony': Congress MPs Slam Lokpal

Senior Congress leaders and Rajya Sabha MPs P Chidambaram and Abhishek Singhvi have slammed anti-corruption watchdog Lokpal after it moved to acquire seven BMW luxury cars for its members. Each of these cars costs about Rs 70 lakh on-road.

Chidambaram, a former Home Minister, asked why Lokpal's chairman and its six members require BMW cars when Supreme Court judges are provided modest sedans.

When Honourable judges of the Supreme Court are provided modest sedans, why do the Chairman and six members of the Lokpal require BMW cars?

Why spend public money to acquire these cars?

I hope that at least one or two members of the Lokpal have refused, or will refuse, to…

— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) October 22, 2025

"Why spend public money to acquire these cars? I hope that at least one or two members of the Lokpal have refused, or will refuse, to accept these cars," he said in a post on X.

Singhvi said he chaired the Parliamentary Committee on Lokpal and his father, former parliamentarian Dr LM Singhvi, first conceived the idea of a Lokpal in the 1960s. "To see this anti-corruption body now ordering BMWs for its members is tragic irony, the guardians of integrity chasing luxury over legitimacy," he said in a post on X.

The Congress leader said Lokpal has received 8,703 since its inception in 2019. These have led to only 24 investigations and 6 prosecution sanctions, he said.

I chaired the Parliamentary Committee on Lokpal. Dr. L.M. Singhvi first conceived idea of Lokpal in the early 1960s. To see this anti-corruption body now ordering BMWs for its members is tragic irony, the guardians of integrity chasing luxury over legitimacy.

— Abhishek Singhvi (@DrAMSinghvi) October 21, 2025

"And now, BMWs worth Rs 70 lakh each. If this is our anti-corruption watchdog, it's more poodle than panther," Singhvi said in a post on X.

In a notification dated October 16, the Lokpal has invited open tenders for the supply of seven BMW 3 Series Li cars. According to media reports, BMW will also be told to provide seven days of training to Lokpal drivers and staff.

The chairperson of the Lokpal is former Supreme Court judge Justice AM Khanwilkar. The members include retired judges, Justice L Narayana Swamy, Justice Sanjay Yadav and Justice Ritu Raj Awasthi, former Chief Election Commissioner Sushil Chandra and retired bureaucrats Pankaj Kumar and Ajay Tirkey.