Meena, Yadav clash over ‘sensitive FIRs’

Surender Singh Yadav, the Delhi government-appointed chief of Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB), has complained of threat to his life from Mukesh Kumar Meena, the other chief of ACB appointed by Lieutenant-Governor Najeeb Jung, it is reliably learnt by The Hindu .

According to highly placed sources, Additional Commissioner Yadav was allegedly threatened with dire consequences by Joint Commissioner of Police Meena on Wednesday when the former refused to share “sensitive FIRs” on grounds of confidentiality.

Mr. Meena is understood to have served a notice to Mr. Yadav on Thursday, citing legal implications if he “refuses to share the FIR book with him”.

Mr. Yadav, The Hindu has learnt, has in a series of complaints over the last fortnight alleged threats not only to his life, but also to the “lives, liberty and safety of other ACB officials”. These complaints have been sent to the L-G and Delhi Police Commissioner Bhim Sen Bassi. He has also written to Mr. Meena informing him about his complaint and asking him to exercise restraint.

On Wednesday, Mr. Yadav, according to a source, wrote to Mr. Jung, Mr. Bassi and Mr. Meena apprising them of the situation “again”. When contacted, Mr. Yadav confirmed that he had complained to the “authorities concerned” over the issue.

“The situation has been the same since the Delhi Police registered a case of kidnapping after some ACB officials caught a police constable accepting a bribe. Not only me, other ACB officials are also being threatened and asked to 'fall in line'. We are worried that not only our careers but our lives too would be in danger,” Mr. Yadav told The Hindu .

According to sources, around 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday, Mr. Meena barged into Mr. Yadav’s office and demanded access to documents related to “all the FIRs” registered by the anti-graft body since Mr. Yadav had assumed charge.

What followed, according to the source, was a heated confrontation between the two officers during which Mr. Yadav challenged Mr. Meena’s authority to seek access to the documents, citing a government order issued by Delhi’s Home Department declaring his appointment to the post of Joint Commissioner void, and on grounds of confidentiality.

Mr. Meena, it is alleged, reacted to Mr. Yadav's arguments by threatening to “forcibly take the FIRs in his custody”. He also asked a contingent of CRPF officers under his charge to “physically remove Mr. Yadav from the office if he did not move aside”.