‘Clean’ Indian leader faces graft charges
Sacked minister says he has seen chief minister of Delhi accept bribe
Anti-corruption crusader Arvind Kejriwal’s government in the Indian capital plunged into a crisis yesterday as a minister he fired over the weekend accused him of accepting Rs20 million (Dh1.14 million) in cash as a bribe.
There was no immediate comment from Kejriwal. His Aam Admi Party spokesman, Kumar Vishwas, rejected the allegation by party lawmaker Kapil Mishra, describing it as an attack by rivals. “We don’t want to give any credence to such wild allegations,” said Ashish Khaitan, another party leader.
Mishra told reporters that in his presence, Kejriwal accepted the cash from another colleague and minister, Satyendra Jain, at his New Delhi residence on Friday. He said that Jain later told him that the money was paid in connection with a land deal worth Rs500 million (Dh28.5 million). Mishra said he met Kejriwal on Saturday and asked him to explain the source of money to all party lawmakers but was fired.
Sacked Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra yesterday claimed he saw Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal take Rs20 million (Dh1.1 million) in cash from Health Minister Satyendar Jain, a charge rejected by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as “unsubstantiated”. Mishra’s charge triggered calls for Kejriwal’s resignation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress.
“Day before yesterday [Friday], I saw Jain hand over Rs2 crore [Rs20 million] in cash to Kejriwal at his residence. When I asked about the money, Kejriwal refused to answer,” Mishra told the media, a day after being sacked on Saturday.
Mishra said he had informed Lt Governor Anil Baijal about the issue and will provide details to investigating agencies as well.
Sisodia rejected the allegation. “The kind of allegations against Kejriwal are unsubstantiated. No one will believe them. Sisodia pointed out that the allegations came after Mishra was removed as minister.
Mishra also accused Jain of facilitating a land deal worth Rs500 million for a Kejriwal relative.
Crisis time
“Jain himself told me about the deal,” Mishra said, adding he was sure Jain would soon be put behind the bars.
Mishra’s allegations have plunged the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) into further crisis, soon after its defeat in the municipal polls. Mishra is known to be close to AAP leader Kumar Vishwas, with whom Kejriwal has forged an uneasy truce after he made comments critical of the AAP.
Mishra said many issues had been raised against the AAP in the past, including irregularities in funding during the Punjab elections, “but we always thought Kejriwalji did not have knowledge about them.
“We had faith in him and always thought he would make things right. But I cannot stay silent after what I witnessed.”
Mishra asked Kejriwal to clarify where the money came from and to apologise to people “if he committed a mistake”.
‘Put in papers’
The AAP leader insisted that he would not quit the party. “I will neither quit the party nor anyone can ask me to go.”
The BJP, the main opposition in the Delhi assembly, and the Congress quickly demanded Kejriwal’s resignation.
Delhi BJP President Manoj Tiwari said: “I have said a number of times that Kejriwal is directly involved in corruption. Mishra’s allegations prove that point.”
Delhi Congress President Ajay Maken said Mishra’s claims were not mere allegations but testimony of an eyewitness warranting criminal proceedings against Kejriwal.
“The Centre, the Anti-Corruption Bureau and the CBI should immediately take action and register an FIR against Kejriwal,” he told the media.