India's Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) is set to conduct a special audit into alleged administrative and financial discrepancies linked to the renovation of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence.
This decision follows a recommendation for a special audit from the Ministry of Home Affairs, prompted by a letter from Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena's office.
The letter alleged that the Public Works Department (PWD) committed significant deviations and violations under the banner of renovations, acting on orders from the Delhi CM during the pandemic's peak.
It raised several issues including the overreach from renovation into complete reconstruction, the disregard for property ownership confirmation and the lack of mandatory building plan approval from the PWD Building Committee.
The letter also revealed that the renovation escalated from an initial cost estimate of Rs 15-20 crore to an expenditure of Rs 53 crore. To bypass approval from the Principal Secretary of PWD, who can provide financial sanctions over Rs 10 crore, the approval was split into smaller sanctions.
In a similar evasion of approval, multiple requests were made for tree felling and transplantation to skirt regulations set by the Delhi Preservation of Trees Act.
Reacting to the audit, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the BJP of desperation and cynicism, alleging an attempt to seize power while discrediting the AAP government.
The party stated that this probe is an attempt to distract from the Adani-Hindenberg issue, linking the renovation controversy to the BJP's prior claim of an extravagant Rs 45 crore spent on the residence's "beautification".
Welcoming the CAG audit, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva hopes the inquiry will reveal who pressured PWD officials to breach laws.
He also reminded that Kejriwal had once demanded a CAG probe into the then Congress government's role in the 2G and 3G scams but now finds himself under similar scrutiny.