Campaign narratives
As India’s mammoth electoral spectacle rolls on, the battleground is not merely political constituencies but the narratives that captivate the nation’s attention.
New Delhi, 10 July
A city court today directed the Delhi Police to file a status report on a complaint by BJP leader Vijender Gupta against Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit seeking registration of an FIR against her for allegedly misusing government funds in a 2008 advertisement campaign case.
Special Judge Narottam Kaushal asked the police to file a status report and fixed the matter for 8 August.
In his complaint filed through advocate Ajay Digpaul, Gupta had sought registration of FIR against Dikshit and others for criminal breach of trust (section 409 IPC), criminal misappropriation of public funds and criminal misconduct under provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act.
In the complaint, he had said that the police did not take any action against his complaint.
A similar complaint filed by RTI activist Vivek Garg will also be heard with it. In his complaint, Gupta had said in 2007-08, Dikshit was also minister in-charge of information and publicity.
“It was an election year. A number of government advertisements were published in the form of publications of advertisement in newspaper, large number of hoarding showing pictures of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Sheila Dikshit all over Delhi Metro, bus shelters and also in form of radio jingles, TV spots etc by misusing the government machinery and public funds and burdened the state exchequer in carrying out campaign of Congress party for her own political gains,” the complaint had said.
The BJP leader has also referred to his complaint before Delhi Lokayukta Justice Manmohan Sarin who had on 22 May indicted Dikshit for allegedly misusing government funds for carrying out an advertisement campaign with a ‘political purpose’ ahead of the last assembly polls. sns
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