AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar accused officials of negligence at ‘Asha Kiran,’ a Delhi government-operated shelter for people with intellectual disabilities, and called for Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena to take action against those responsible. Following his visit to the shelter home, Kumar made said, “We saw a lot of negligence inside. We interacted with the children. We demand that Delhi LG should take action against the officers involved in the matter.”
The AAP MLA raised concerns about why the shelter home was managed by an administrator who had been arrested by the CBI in 2016 for accepting a “bribe” and had stayed suspended for five years. “I want to ask why the shelter home was under an administrator who was arrested by the CBI in 2016 for taking a ‘bribe’ and remained suspended for five years. I want to ask the LG on what basis such a corrupt officer was appointed as the administrator,” he said.
“The officers have committed a lot of negligence. The complaints of the supporting staff were ignored. The committee will prepare a report. The video of the condition inside the shelter home will also be released by the committee,” he added.
Earlier on Saturday, Delhi Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj questioned the LG about the delay in suspending the administrator. “The officer who has been appointed as the administrator of the shelter home by the central government and LG (VK Saxena) was caught by CBI red-handedly doing corruption in 2016. The officer was suspended for five years. I want to ask the LG on what basis such a corrupt officer was appointed as the administrator. Why the administrator has not been suspended?” he said.
“When transfers and postings take place, generally good officers are given good departments, but those who are suspected of being corrupt are given such postings where there is less possibility of theft. My question to the LG and the central government is, why was Rahul Agarwal given responsibility for such a sensitive posting. Rahul Agarwal is the SDM who was caught in 2016 on charges of taking bribe,” Saurabh Bharadwaj said.
In response, LG VK Saxena criticised the AAP-led Delhi Government on Saturday regarding the appointment of the administrator at the shelter home. The Delhi LG office issued a statement saying “The administrator of Asha Kiran Home was appointed internally by the Social Welfare Department, which is a fully transferred subject under the control of the CM/ Minister. He was NOT appointed by LG. He was of course posted to the Social Welfare Department being a DANICS officer on February 15, 2020, after approval of the LG. Thereafter, the Minister posted him as Administrator of Asha Kiran Home.”
“The press statement issued by AAP is blatantly wrong and arrogantly misleading. Typical abuse and scoot by AAP and its leaders and Ministers,” it said.
According to the official report, Asha Kiran Shelter Home saw the highest number of deaths in July, with 14 recorded for that month. The report also noted that out of a total of 25 deaths reported since February 2024, 14 occurred in July alone, including 6 male and 8 female fatalities.
Asha Kiran shelter home has become the centre of a growing political controversy following the death of 14 inmates in just 20 days. Over recent years, the inmates’ diet has been notably reduced, and approximately 25 others are now afflicted with tuberculosis.