Nishikant Dubey (File photo)
NEW DELHI: Lokpal has dismissed the allegation of BJP MP Nishikant Dubey possessing disproportionate assets as “frivolous and vexatious”, slamming the complainant, former IPS officer and activist Amitabh Thakur, for indulging in “whataboutery” during the case’s proceedings.The Lokpal, headed by former Supreme Court judge AM Khanwilkar, found Thakur’s charge, made in May last year, “devoid of merit” and said Dubey was at liberty to pursue his grievance regarding breach of his privacy and damage to reputation by the complainant, who went public with his allegation.Lokpal said Thakur, who is under judicial custody after being arrested in Dec in an alleged cheating case, had relied completely on Dubey’s election affidavits and focused mostly on the substantial increase in the assets of his wife, who is not a public servant. The anti-graft ombudsman agreed with the MP’s contention that the rise in the value of his assets was mainly because of an escalation in their market price. He added his wife has an independent business. Dubey, who faced attacks from Congress over the allegation, lauded the verdict as “satyamev jayate”, with BJP suggesting the case was an outcome of his relentless attack on the opposition party, especially the Gandhi family. BJP’s Amit Malviya said, “Lokpal has completely slammed the motivated campaign against Dubey, who’s clearly become an Achilles’ heel for Gandhi family…”
