Corruption charges against Opposition leaders based on 'facts, evidence': BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra

Patra spoke about the corruption allegation against Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, TMC leader Partha Chatterjee, and AAP's Satyendar Kumar Jain

The BJP on Tuesday cited the uncovering of cash and assets allegedly acquired illegally by some opposition politicians to refute the charge of vendetta politics levelled against its government and asserted that those who swindled people's money will not be allowed to go scot-free.

Party spokesperson Sambit Patra spoke about the corruption allegation against Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut, the seizure of a "mountain of cash" suspected to be of Trinamool Congress leader Partha Chatterjee and money laundering allegation against AAP's Satyendar Kumar Jain.

All these leaders were arrested by the federal agency Enforcement Directorate (ED). The Opposition has been accusing the government of misusing central agencies, especially the ED, to target political opponents and muzzle their voice.

"Should they be allowed to go scot-free just because they are big politicians? The charges against them are based on facts and evidence and not rhetoric. The Opposition should not politicise corruption," Patra said.

Speaking to reporters, he claimed the governments run by the BJP will never override constitutional values and not interfere in the work of investigation agencies.

Also Read | CAA rules to be framed after Covid booster vaccine drive gets over: Amit Shah to Bengal BJP leader

"But we have zero tolerance for corruption. Whosoever defrauded people's money will not be let off," he said.

Another BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala also took a swipe at opposition parties for playing the "victimhood card", saying the Indian National Congress (INC) is all "I Need Corruption" while the TMC is "Too Much Corruption."

Along with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Shiv Sena, they are the "four pillars of corruption,'' he alleged

Reacting to Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh's allegation that the ED searches in various locations related to the National Herald case were the BJP's "vendetta politics", Poonawalla asked if the denial of any relief to the Gandhi family by courts in this matter was also "vendetta."

Also Read | Opposition raising issue of price rise due to Modi-phobia: BJP in Lok Sabha

Raut allegedly conspired to deprive 672 families of a roof but Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray was defending him, he said.

Noting that it was the Calcutta High Court that had ordered a CBI probe into the SSC recruitment scam in West Bengal, he slammed the state's ruling Trinamool Congress for accusing the central government of misusing probe agencies.

Patra noted that Raut is allegedly involved in a scam worth close to Rs 1,040 crore related to a 2007 project for the redevelopment of a 47-acre plot where 672 families lived as tenants for decades. The Maharashtra Housing and Development Authority (MHADA) had registered the case in 2018, he said.

Should the ED not act against them because they are politicians and "entitled", he asked and added that the opposition parties had raised a hue and cry even when NCP leader Nawab Malik was arrested in February in a money laundering case.

He remains in jail because the court has not given him bail due to the seriousness of the charges against him, he said.