The ‘Delhi government feedback unit modeled after the Intelligence Bureau’

Former Senior Deputy Minister Manish Sisodia, in his capacity as head of the surveillance department under which the unit was allegedly created, was booked on Thursday by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with alleged irregularities in the creation of the unit.

Headed by a joint director, the unit was staffed by a variety of assistant and junior “feedback officers”, such as assistant and junior officers from central intelligence at the IB. Staff were paid based on attendance, which, according to officials who have reviewed documents on its operation, was “100%” for as long as it was known to be operational.

The unit, created in 2015 with the approval of the Delhi Cabinet, supposedly began operations in February 2016, with 17 contract employees. Its mandate, the officials said, was to collect “relevant information and actionable feedback” on the work of government departments, autonomous bodies, institutions and entities under the jurisdiction of the Delhi government.

Initially, 20 positions in the FBU were due to be adjusted against 22 positions abolished from the Department of Industries of the Delhi government, but 20 of these positions in the FBU were adjusted against 88 positions created in the Anti-Corruption Section, allegedly without the consent of the Lieutenant Governor. Secretary. The unit also had a contingent of six vehicles under it, including SUVs and three motorcycles along with support personnel.

A provision of Rs 1 crore for ‘Secret Service Expenses’ was reportedly set aside for the unit in the annual budget for FY 2016-17. Between February and November 2016, more than Rs 40 lakhs of this was allegedly given to the FBU by way of ‘Secret Service Expenses’, remuneration, telephone and other miscellaneous expenses.

The CBI’s preliminary investigation found vouchers supporting the spending of Rs 2.10 lakhs for allegedly hiring a non-existent private detective agency, in addition to 18 others in the amount of more than Rs 3.47 lakhs that were spent as money from “fountain”.

These expenses were one of the reasons why the surveillance departments recommended LG to close the unit “immediately to avoid further fruitless/questionable expenses”.