NEW DELHI: Delhi's transport minister
Gopal Rai, who's facing allegations of corruption, resigned on Tuesday citing poor health.
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal accepted the resignation and gave his portfolio to cabinet colleague Satyendar Jain, who's also Health and PWD Minister. Following his resignation as transport minister, the departments left with Rai are the Labour, Irrigation and Flood Control department, the General Administration Department and the Development and Employment department.
Rai recently underwent major surgery to remove a bullet that had been lodged in his neck for 17 years.
Rai is facing allegations of corruption in connection with a proposal for a premium, app-based bus service in the national capital. The bus service was supposed to start during the second phase of the odd-even traffic rule in Delhi. That proposal, though, became dead in the water after allegations that a particular bus aggregator was being favoured.
BJP legislator Vijender Gupta also filed a complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) alleging the Delhi government had bent the rules.
"No corruption took place in this scheme. I am ready to go to jail if anyone proves corruption in the app-based premium bus service," Rai said at a press conference. He added that he will visit the ACB office on Tuesday to reply to the allegations.
With inputs from Agencies