'Faansi Ghar' row: Delhi Assembly Privileges Committee to decide next steps as Kejriwal, Sisodia skip appearance again

The Committee said that former Speaker Ram Niwas Goel and MLA Rakhi Birla also failed to appear before it in connection with the 'Faansi Ghar' issue.

"Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Ram Niwas Goel and Rakhi Birla once again did not appear before the Committee of Privileges despite being given two opportunities to present their version on record. Noting their continued non-appearance in both the scheduled sittings, the Committee has now decided to determine the further course of action in the matter under consideration," Chairperson Pradyumn Singh Rajput said.

The issue relates to the authenticity of the 'Faansi Ghar' inaugurated on August 9, 2022, within the Delhi Assembly premises. Speaker Vijender Gupta had raised the matter, following which it was referred to the Privileges Committee for detailed examination.

The sitting today was convened specifically to deliberate on the authenticity of the site and to advance procedural and factual assessments as part of the ongoing inquiry.

The Committee includes Chairperson Pradyumn Singh Rajput and members Surya Prakash Khatri, Abhay Kumar Verma, Ajay Kumar Mahawar, Satish Upadhyay, Neeraj Basoya, Ravi Kant, Ram Singh Netaji and Surender Kumar.

Reaffirming its commitment to transparency, accountability and institutional integrity, the Committee stressed that cooperation from all concerned individuals is essential for completing a fair and comprehensive inquiry.

The "execution house" matter has recently come under public scrutiny, prompting questions from opposition members and civil society regarding its purpose, legality, and operational readiness. The Privileges Committee's inquiry is expected to address these concerns, seeking explanations from the officials present. (ANI)