JOIN USKejriwal hints at more CBI raids
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday expressed fears of impending CBI raids against opposition parties while the AAP posed five questions to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over alleged bungling in the Delhi cricket body.
The ruling Aam Aadmi Party was unrelenting in its demand for Jaitley’s resignation and stepped up its campaign to “expose” the Union minister even three days after a Central Bureau of Investigation raid on Delhi Secretariat-based office of Kejriwal’s Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar.
Kejriwal tweeted: “A CBI officer told me yest that CBI has been asked to target all opp parties n finish those who don't fall in line.”
Kejriwal has maintained Jaitley was the brain behind the raid so that the probe agency could read files related to an inquiry ordered by the city government into wrongdoings in the Delhi and District Cricket Association.
Jaitely has denied any wrongdoing and the CBI has claimed that only files related to Kumar were searched in the raid, and its action was not linked to DDCA files..
Accusing Jaitley of financial bunglings in DDCA, AAP leader Ashutosh said the Association allowed a private firm 21st Century to sub-lease 10 corporate boxes at Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, and claimed the firm owned by a friend of Jaitley was extended financial benefit to the tune of over Rs 5 crore for the deal.
The AAP called Jaitley a “master of half truth and beautiful lies” and accused him of not revealing the full facts in his blog about a probe panel clearing him of wrongdoings.
The AAP leaders also alleged that the web of corruption around Jaitley stretched to Hockey India chief Narendra Batra and threatened to spill the beans on Saturday.
The AAP alleged that Jaitely’s family members were part of the companies which benefitted from the DDCA. They identified 21st Century as one of them.
Alleging huge financial bungling in reconstruction of the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium, the AAP leader said although public sector entity EPIL was paid Rs 57 crore for the project the remaining Rs 57 crore out of the total expenditure of Rs 114 crore was distributed among nine companies.
“The registered address, e-mail and directors of these companies were same. Did Jaitley know about these companies and is it not corruption,” asked the AAP leader.
Ashutosh also challenged Jaitley's comments that the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) had absolved him.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh said: “We had raised specific questions and Jaitley gave vague answers. That is why we are coming out with five specific questions for him.”
The Delhi government last month had set up a committee to probe irregularities in DDCA after getting a communication in this regard from Union Sports Ministry.
Defending Jaitely, Delhi BJP attacked the AAP by calling it a gang of thugs who know how to divert public attention from significant issues.
Delhi BJP chief Satish Upadhyay said the entire propaganda against the DDCA was being unleashed just to keep the public and media focus away from the corruption sagas of Kejriwal's Principal Secretary Kumar.
“Whatsoever Kejriwal may do, the corruption stories of Kumar will unfold before the people,” the said.