New Delhi, February 11
Scores of employees of Delhi Secretariat today sat on dharna outside Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's office, demanding filling of vacant posts of Delhi Administrative Subordinate Services (DASS) cadre.

Raising slogans, the protesters also demanded that the pay structure for DASS Cadre employees should be at par Central Secretariat services.

The agitators under the banner of Government of NCT Employees' Welfare Association also demanded cashless facility to Delhi Government Employees Health Scheme holders and 5 per cent reservation for the children of DASS employees in educational institutes of the Delhi government.

They also demanded accommodation for all those employees who have worked for 15 years.

Earlier, the association held demonstrations in September last year in front of the Secretariat in support of their demands.

"The DASS Cadre and Steno Cadre employees of the Delhi government have been continuously putting their problems and demands to the government," said Deepak Bhardwaj, general secretary of the Government of NCT Employees Association.

"The government at that time accepted that our demands are genuine and assured that needful will be done. On this assurance the agitation was postponed. But unfortunately, nothing has done yet," said Bhardwaj.

"The government changed. The association submitted the demands to the new government. But the result is same," he said.

New Delhi, February 11
Families of whistleblowers and their supporters were detained for several hours today at the Parliament Street police station for about three hours while they were peacefully protesting outside BJP office where they were demanding that the BJP clarify its stand on the Grievance Redress Bill and the Whistleblowers Protection Bill.

They wanted the BJP to assure them that it will support the bills in Parliament, but apparently no one turned up and protesters, including National Campaign for People's Right to Information (NCPRI) activists Anjali Bhardwaj, Amrita Johri and Pravita Kashyap were detained along with the families of slain whistleblowers Satyendra Dubey, Shimbu Bishnoi, Ram Thakur.

"We sat outside the BJP office for more than four hours but no one from the office spoke to us. We were let off after 7 pm," said Amrita.

NCPRI members strongly condemned the arrest of the families and activists, saying that people protesting peacefully should not have been evicted using force.

"People have been promised by all political parties that these two critical bills will be passed in the ongoing session of Parliament. It is a shame that Parliament is not functioning and people, who are demanding answers from these parties, are being ill-treated. All parties need to answer why critical bills are being made scapegoats in the political stand-off in Parliament," they said.

New Delhi, February 11
The Aam Aadmi Party's Swaraj Bill aimed at decentralising power to grassroots by setting up "mohalla sabhas", is likely to be discussed at a meeting of the Delhi Cabinet tomorrow.

Senior government officials had held a meeting on Sunday and finalised the modalities of Swaraj Bill which intends to put in place mohalla sabhas where power would be given to the common people to solve problems at the local level.

"A meeting of 25 secretaries from various departments took place to hold discussion on Swaraj Bill," Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had said.

Former chief secretary of Madhya Pradesh S.C. Behar, who has been entrusted with the responsibility to draft Swaraj Bill, said "The draft is in its final stage. We have received advice from all the government departments concerned in this regard." Seeking to dispel the fear that AAP members will take over mohalla sabhas, Behar said under the Bill, mohalla sabhas are being made strong. However, it is not that party members will take their control. — PTI

New Delhi, February 11
In order to deal with corruption cases, the Delhi government today decided to create more posts in Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB). This was announced by the Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, today while speaking at a press conference here in which he ordered filing of criminal cases against Union minister Veerappa Moily, former minister Murli Deora, Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani and others following complaints of irregularities in pricing of natural gas in KG basin.

"In coming days, we will create more posts in the ACB. I will also appeal to the Lieutenant Governor, who has always been supportive, to provide us with more officers," said Kejriwal.

He said there will be more such cases in coming days and that he wanted police officers with strong investigation background from other states to work with the Delhi government.

"In coming days we will register more such cases for which we want to prepare a team of good investigating officers," he said. I feel good police officers who want to join the team can write to us. I will ask their (state) governments and try to bring them to Delhi," Kejriwal said.

He said he had also asked the Central government for officers from the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). "I had also asked officers from the CBDT since these (offences) are related to revenue and economic crime. They have not responded as of now. I hope they relieve the officers we have asked for," he added.

New Delhi, February 11
Independent MLA Rambir Shokeen today formally withdrew his support to the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government, bringing down the strength to 35 in the 70-member House.

Shokeen met LG Najeeb Jung today and conveyed his decision to withdraw support.

"I have officially withdrawn my support to the Delhi government and have given it in writing to the LG," Shokeen said after his meeting the LG.

He said he withdrew support as the government has "failed" to fulfil the promises made before the polls.

Shokeen, who was elected from the Mundka constituency, said the Chief Minister made several promises on power and water problems in Delhi, but even after several days in office, he failed to address the issues.

"We had given support to the AAP based on the issues like of removing unnecessary restrictions on villages, extension of 'Lal dora' boundaries, making the teachers working on contract permanent and also on the water issue, but they have failed on all these fronts," he said.

New Delhi, February 11
A 22-year-old youth and two juveniles were arrested late last night for allegedly beating two Manipuri youths at Ambedkar Nagar in Southeast Delhi on Sunday evening.

Ritesh, who is one of the accused, was presented at the Patiala House Court today and sent to judicial custody. The juveniles, aged about 15 years, were presented before a juvenile justice board and sent to Adharshila Observation Home for Boys in Kingway Camp, Northwest Delhi. The accused are friends and stay with their families in Madangir.

On Sunday about 9 pm, the victims, Ginkhansuan Naulak (24) and his cousin Vunsuanmung Naulak (25), were returning to their home after buying chicken at a local market in Madangir where they were attacked.

"Ritesh had called them 'chinki' when they stopped at a cigarette shop for a smoke," a police officer said.

According to the police, Ginkhansuan and Vunsuanmung beat up Ritesh over the alleged racial slur. Ritesh went to his house and allegedly called the two juveniles who then beat the accused. "They were pinned to the ground, slapped and mercilessly beaten with sticks," said Ginkhansuan's elder brother Siam.

The accused were identified on the basis of questioning of locals and shopkeepers in the market, the officer said.

After first-aid treatment, Vunsuanmung was discharged from AIIMS Trauma Centre yesterday. Ginkhansuan is recuperating and is expected to be discharged tomorrow.

New Delhi, February 11
Two alleged robbers, including one who is the son of a retired Delhi police head constable, have been arrested at Shahdara.

The accused have been identified as Samir (34) and Mohammed Salman (24).

During interrogation they said they were involved in about 300 cases of snatching and robbery. Out of these cases, they were involved in 30 cases of murder, robbery, snatching, attempt to murder, extortion, assault on police and theft," said AddlCP (Crime) Ravindra Yadav.

Yadav said, "They would consume a concoction of drugs before committing crime and did not hesitate to fire at the victims and the police in case they faced a resistance."