AAP Questions Lt Governor Over Appointed Administrator

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) questioned Lt Governor VK Saxena over the appointment of Rahul Agarwal, who was previously suspended for bribery, as the administrator of Asha Kiran shelter home where 14 inmates died in July. The AAP demands accountability and a probe into the deaths and irregularities at the shelter home.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday raised questions about Lt Governor VK Saxena's decision to appoint Rahul Agarwal as the administrator of Asha Kiran shelter home, where 14 inmates tragically died in July.

Senior AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj highlighted that Agarwal was previously arrested by the CBI in 2016 for taking a bribe and had been suspended for five years.

At a press conference, Bharadwaj demanded, "I want to know on what ground the LG appointed Rahul Agarwal as administrator of the shelter home where various irregularities and shortcomings have been reported after an extraordinarily large number of deaths of intellectually changed persons." He also questioned why no action has been taken against the administrator and the social welfare department secretary.

Bharadwaj stated that the LG has the power over the transfer and posting of officers through the Services department, thus bearing responsibility.

AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak added, "We got information around two to three days ago that 14 people have died there because they were not given proper water, food, and medical facilities." He stressed the need for immediate action and public disclosure of a vigilance report on Agarwal.

The Delhi government has since ordered a magisterial probe into the deaths, while the Lt Governor termed the fatalities an act of criminality against society's most disadvantaged and has called for an investigation into all Delhi government shelter homes.