Court Questions Anti-Corruption Branch on Illegal Parking in Saket, Delhi
A Special Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) Court in New Delhi has expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation into an alleged illegal parking case in Saket, South Delhi. The court noted that the investigating officer (IO) only sought approval to investigate one officer, despite allegations involving multiple public servants, including senior police officers.
Illegal Parking and Extortion Allegations
The case involves a complaint by advocate Vikas Bakshi, who claims that illegal parking operations continued in Saket despite the cancellation of the parking license. He alleges that the parking mafia, in collusion with police and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) officials, extorted money from the public.
Court’s Observations
Special Judge Ashish Agarwal criticized the ACB for not investigating why MCD officers did not take action to recover the land or reassign the parking site. The court also questioned why no efforts were made to recover money owed to the MCD and why the allotment was made to an entity with an incomplete address.
The court highlighted the lack of investigation into whether money was exchanged to allow the illegal activities to continue. The judge described the ACB’s efforts as ‘slipshod’ and ordered a report on whether the ACB intends to seek approval to investigate other officers involved.
Next Steps
The matter is scheduled for a hearing on September 29. The court has also directed that a copy of the order be sent to the Chief Secretary of the Government of NCT, Delhi, to review the ACB’s functioning and ensure that capable and willing individuals are assigned to the case.
Details of the Complaint
The complaint alleges that MCD had allotted parking rights to M/s. Sanjay Kumar Technocrate Pvt. Ltd. on a 4-5 acre land behind Select City Walk Mall, Saket. Despite the cancellation of the allotment and unpaid dues, the parking site continued to operate. An FIR was registered on September 27, 2023, against the parking mafia and the company for extortion and threats.
The complaint also names several officials, including Inspector Subodh Kumar, Additional Commissioner Vikas Tripathi, Deputy Commissioner Amit Kumar, and Administration Officer Vinod Kumar, as being complicit with the parking mafia and receiving bribes. This alleged corruption is said to have caused a loss of around Rs 3 crore to the government.
Doubts Revealed
Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) -: The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) is a special police unit that investigates cases of corruption, where people misuse their power for personal gain.
Illegal Parking -: Illegal parking means parking vehicles in places where it is not allowed, which can cause problems like traffic jams.
Saket -: Saket is a neighborhood in South Delhi, India, known for its residential areas and shopping malls.
Investigating Officer -: An investigating officer is a police officer who looks into crimes to find out what happened and who is responsible.
Public Servants -: Public servants are people who work for the government, like police officers and municipal workers.
Advocate -: An advocate is a lawyer who helps people with legal issues and represents them in court.
Parking Mafia -: Parking mafia refers to groups of people who illegally control parking spaces and charge money from drivers without permission.
MCD Officials -: MCD officials are people who work for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, which is responsible for local services like cleaning streets and managing parking.
Collusion -: Collusion means secret cooperation between people to do something illegal or dishonest.
