Arvind Kejriwal, ED Summons, Delhi Liquor Policy Case, Meenakshi Lekhi, Delhi Jal Board
Union Minister and BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi launched a pointy assault on the Aam Aadmi Party and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Tuesday, ramping up the bitter spat between the 2 events over alleged corruption within the metropolis’s liquor excise coverage and the water improvement authority.
An apoplectic Ms Lekhi held Prime Minister Narendra Modi up as a great for Mr Kejriwal to observe, declaring Mr Modi had (when he was Gujarat Chief Minister) “sat for 12 hours answering questions”; the reference was to the PM being questioned by a particular crew investigating the 2002 Gujarat riots.
“That is how you face… instead of drama and corruption like Kejriwal,” Ms Lekhi thundered.
The Union Minister’s assault comes amid a tug-of-war between the Delhi Chief Minister and his AAP and the Enforcement Directorate, which has summoned Mr Kejriwal 5 occasions for questioning within the liquor coverage case. Mr Kejriwal has skipped all 5 and will now be arrested by the central company.
The company – which the AAP and different opposition events say is being utilized by the BJP to focus on rivals, notably earlier than elections – is investigating alleged cash laundering of proceeds of crime, referring to “undue benefits” to liquor cartels because of the November 2021 excise coverage.
Before Ms Lekhi’s diatribe right now, Delhi Minister Atishi had alleged the Enforcement Directorate case in opposition to the AAP is constructed on statements made by accused-turned-approvers. She stated AAP leaders had been “threatened… in the name of this so-called liquor scam” and confused “even after hundreds of raids in two years, ED has not been able to recover a single rupee… no concrete evidence…”
READ | Atishi’s “Fake Cases” Charge Against Central Agency Draws Warning
Ms Lekhi additionally slammed alleged corruption and cash laundering within the Delhi Jal Board, over which two individuals – a retired chief engineer and a contractor – have been arrested final week. In addition, three senior AAP leaders have additionally been arrested, in reference to numerous circumstances – former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, former Health Minister Satyendra Jain, and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh.
#WATCH | Union Minister Meenakashi Lekhi says, “…Delhi’s governance mannequin has been placed on the ventilator…The Delhi excise coverage is the most important rip-off which one can consider. But whereas the CM is avoiding answering the ED summons on the Delhi liquor rip-off one other rip-off got here to the… pic.twitter.com/KV9zy3Jpmu
— ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2024
“Delhi’s governance mannequin is on ventilator… excise coverage is greatest rip-off one can consider (and now) whereas Chief Minister is avoiding answering ED summons, one other rip-off got here to the entrance,” she stated.
“And yesterday the Delhi High Court discovered a false affidavit was filed… it comprises some remarks relating to procurement processes. Where the audit report discovered central procurement processes are violative of regulation, and medicines procured are substandard, and in addition not adhering to rules…”
Ms Lekhi ripped into the “power-hungry” AAP-led Delhi authorities.
“Delhi authorities is simply bothered about publicity. They are hungry to remain in energy at any price. They are hungry and grasping for corruption…” she declared.
Meanwhile, Mr Kejriwal final week accused the BJP of attempting to poach his social gathering’s lawmakers.
READ | “They Say ‘Join BJP’. I Say ‘Never'”: Arvind Kejriwal On “Poaching” Row
“They can do no matter they need. Nothing will occur. I’m not going to bow to them. They say ‘come to BJP, we cannot bother you’. No… I will not be a part of. And what crime have we achieved they should pardon us?”
The Crime Branch of Delhi Police – which studies to the Union Home Ministry – served discover to Mr Kejriwal Saturday, asking him to answer inside three days. The identical discover was additionally served to Atishi.
The BJP has refuted the allegations, calling them “false” and “baseless”.
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