‘Kejriwal’s role in bribe for post to Sukesh should be probed’

CHANDIGARH: The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday demanded that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal's role in the bribe for party post and Rajya Sabha ticket to undertrial multimillionaire conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar be probed by the CBI after registration of a criminal case.

Reacting to the letter written by Chandrashekhar to the Lt Governor of Delhi, former minister and senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia said, "It is clear that Satyendar Jain received money from the undertrial on behalf of the 'Kattar Imandaar' AAP convener as the latter alone could make good on the promise of both the party post in the South Zone as well as Rajya Sabha ticket to Chandrashekhar."

Asserting that AAP had taken Indian polity to a new low by extorting money from undertrials, Majithia said it was shocking that the undertrial had been forced to cough up Rs 2 crore to ensure his safety in jail by the (then) Jail Minister (Jain).

"This also is not possible without the acquiescence of the Delhi Chief Minister and his role in this crime should also be probed by the CBI." Majithia said: "It seems collecting money is the sole priority of the AAP government in Delhi and that the same model in being adopted in Punjab."

He said there were accusations that like the promise made to Chandrashekhar, Rajya Sabha tickets were also sold in upwards of Rs 50 crore each in Punjab.

"This accusation should also be taken up for probe by the CBI." The Akali leader said the heightened activity of gangsters in Punjab as well as the increase in the extortion rackets also pointed out to the fact that they were being given a safe haven in prison from where they were running their crime syndicates.

He demanded that a judicial probe into the entire issue, including the escape of gangsters from police custody, be probed by a high court judge to get to the bottom of the case.

Majithia said the increasing cases of corruption by AAP ministers and legislators which had surfaced in Punjab also pointed out to the pressure on the Punjab AAP unit to fund the high command. He said this was the reason why the high command was yet to take any action against cabinet minister Fauja Singh Sarari who had indulged in extortion openly.

"AAP leaders are also involved in rampant sand mining besides being responsible for given patronage to gangsters as well as anti-social elements which has ruined the law and order situation in Punjab.

It seems all this is being done to collect money for the AAP high command and specifically Arvind Kejriwal. Even government funds are not safe from the predations of AAP with crores of public funds being spent on advertisements in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh by the AAP government.

The truth in all these cases can only come out once a judicial inquiry is ordered into them," he added.