Complaint against Dikshit sent to higher court

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) A Delhi court Wednesday sent a complaint of corruption against Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit and others to a higher court for considering its territorial jurisdiction.

Hearing a private complaint filed by advocate and Right to Information (RTI) activist Vivek Garg, Metropolitan Magistrate Neeraj Gaur sent the case file to the chief metropolitan magistrate to pass appropriate order on the jurisdiction of the plea.

Garg alleged that Dikshit along with Transport Minister Arvinder Singh and then transport commissioner R.K. Verma favoured a private company, ESP India, in a contract, causing losses to the public exchequer.

He told the court that the accused bifurcated the process of issuing fitness certificates to commercial vehicles and awarded the contract to issue such certificates to a private company. Earlier, it was the transport department that issued the certificates.

"Due to corrupt and malafide intentions of the said ministers, officer and company (ESP India), no tender bid was called and the contract was given in contravention of the law," Garg said in his complaint.

Garg requested the court to initiate proceeding against the accused under charges of cheating, criminal conspiracy and various sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act.