File Photo: Former Solicitor General Gopal Subramamium
The rift between the Centre and Arvind Kejriwal over alleged corruption in Delhi's main cricket body widened dramatically today. Mr Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, asked if Prime Minister Narendra Modi will declare an investigation into the DDCA (Delhi and District Cricket Association) null and void. Meanwhile, the man handling the investigation, former Solicitor General Gopal Subramamium, asked for officers from the Intelligence Bureau to assist him - unacceptable, according to sources in the central government.
Mr Subramanium told NDTV that he has written to National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, asking for the names of five "outstanding" officers from the Intelligence Bureau and other central agencies. Hours later, sources in the Home Ministry said Mr Subramanium has erred on two counts: they said Mr Doval is not the correct conduit for a request of this nature, and that an investigation set up by the Delhi government cannot enlist officers from central agencies.
Mr Kejriwal alleges deep corruption in the functioning of the DDCA which was headed for over a decade by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, who has sued Mr Kejriwal for defamation.
Mr Subramanium says his request to Mr Doval is valid because it was the Centre which "itself called upon the Delhi government" to get an investigation done into alleged irregularities in the DDCA. "Obviously, this means that the Central government would render all possible assistance in this regard," the top lawyer said. In his letter to the NSA, Mr Subramanium said that "some of the disclosures may also pertain to national security."
His investigation has not been sanctioned by Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung, who acts as the Centre's representative in Delhi, and shares a history of bitter hostility with Mr Kejriwal. The Chief Minister said that the file on the DDCA investigation has been referred by the union Home Ministry to Prime Minister Modi. "Will he declare it null and void?" he said to NDTV, repeating the allegation that the Centre wishes to protect Mr Jaitley at the cost of a free and fair inquiry.