NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took into custody six officials from the Delhi Transport Department on the charges of bribery and corruption. The sources interviewed on Wednesday shared that this high-profile crackdown was after numerous complaints about the corruption and unethical practices that happened in the Department of Transport, thus leading to the CBI undertaking a covert surveillance operation before taking action.
CBI officials said that they were carrying out their investigation that unearthed a multi-pronged plot that involved officials in the transport department, and the said plot was paving the way for millions. As per the CBI, a senior officer, who did not reveal his name, confirmed that officials had engaged in illegal trades that touched on vehicle registrations, permits, and fitness certificates.
The arrests were made as the fallout followed the recent Assembly elections, which witnessed a massive change in the political landscape of Delhi. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP),
which had been ruling for a decade, was given a drubbing in this election, only managing to win 22 seats out of the 70-member Assembly.
On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) staged a political comeback, winning 48 seats. Despite this, the Congress, which used to be a big party in Delhi, failed to score any seats for the third time consecutively.
With the BJP now being in power, there is no escaping the intense focus on transparency and accountability in the institutions of government.
Officials have hinted that there are more investigations already in progress, and more arrests are to be expected in the coming weeks.