A right to information (RTI) application has revealed that the Congress party has not paid the monthly rent of two of its government allotted properties on Akbar Road and in Chanakyapuri since 2013.
Monthly rental charges have also not been paid for Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s 10, Janpath residence since October 2020, the response added.
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In reply to an RTI application filed by a resident of Mithapur in Gujarat, Surjit Patel, the directorate of estates (DoE) under the ministry of housing and urban affairs (MoHUA) said the monthly rental for the government bungalow at 26, Akbar Road (a part of the Congress headquarters that also houses the women’s wing of the party and Seva Dal offices) is Rs 12.69 lakh and the dues have not been paid since January 2013.
Meanwhile, it is also said that the property at Chanakyapuri has dues pending since September 2013 and monthly charges are close to Rs 5.07 lakh.
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The type-VIII bungalow at Akbar Road and residential accommodation at Chanakyapuri were allotted to the All India Congress Committee in 1994 and 1985, respectively.
According to a senior DoE official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, “The monthly rental charges of the two properties are high because of unauthorised occupation. When the occupants stay beyond the permitted limit, then monthly damages are calculated differently. The charge varies every month. The amount mentioned in the RTI is the rental charge for last month (January 2022). The total dues pending will be much more.”
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DoE officials refused to provide information regarding the exact amount due against each property.
A senior Congress functionary on condition of anonymity said, “The government has given us an extension to use the bungalows. Our new building is under construction. The work got delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. We will vacate the bungalows once our building is ready. The matter is being raised due to the ongoing elections.”
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About 10, Janpath, the official said the bungalow is officially allotted to Sonia Gandhi as she is the spouse of late Rajiv Gandhi, former prime minister. The monthly rental for her type-VIII bungalow is Rs 4,610, which has not been paid since October 2020, the official said.
