New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday (November 8, 2022) demanded a lie detector test for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar claimed that he was forced to bribe the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). In a series of letters, Chandrashekhar has alleged that he paid money to Delhi minister Satyender Jain and other AAP leaders for protection in jail and a Rajya Sabha ticket from the party. In one of his letters, Chandrashekhar, who is lodged in Mandoli Jail in Delhi, alleged that he met Kejriwal and was asked to arrange Rs 500 crore for the party's expansion into the southern states.
"The allegations by Chandrashekhar were earlier against AAP ministers and leaders but now he has directly charged Kejriwal, who needs to answer the questions being asked," BJP MP Manoj Tiwari said at a press conference.
"The BJP demands that Arvind Kejriwal, Satyendra Jain and Sukesh Chandrasekhar undergo a lie detector test and it should be televised live," he added.
मैं पूछना चाहता हूं अरविंद केजरीवाल जी से की जेल भी तुम्हारी, मंत्री भी तुम्हारा, व्यवस्था भी तुम्हारी और जेल मंत्री भी तुम्हारा, ऐसे में कौन यह कार्य कर सकता है। इसका जवाब आपको देना चाहिए - श्री @ManojTiwariMP pic.twitter.com/XPR06N0iz1
— BJP Delhi (@BJP4Delhi) November 8, 2022
Tiwari alleged that the AAP had contested the Assembly elections in using money collected from the "liquor scam" in Delhi and a "similar" attempt was made to "recover" money from people like Chandrashekhar for the upcoming elections.
MP Shri @ManojTiwariMP is addressing a Press Conference. https://t.co/sk5cY6IyOs
— BJP Delhi (@BJP4Delhi) November 8, 2022
The AAP, however, has dismissed the charges as an attempt by the BJP to use Chandrashekhar as its "star campaigner", fearing defeat in the Gujarat Assembly and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi elections.
Conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar writes to Delhi LG for CBI probe against Arvind Kejriwal
Meanwhile, Sukesh Chandrashekhar has written a fresh letter to Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena seeking a CBI probe against Arvind Kejriwal and others for alleged threats and corruption, his lawyer said on Tuesday.
Chandrashekhar alleged that after his last complaint to the LG was reported in the media, he had received a "severe threat" from the jail administration on behalf of AAP leader Satyendar Jain and then DG Prisons Sandeep Goel.
"After my last complaint application was released on media, from last two days there has been severe threat that I have been receiving from the jail administration on behalf of Satyendar Jain and DG prisons Sandeep Goel that I will be taught a serious lesson...For what I have done and they said I will have to pay the price now," he said in the letter written on November 4 that was submitted to the LG on November 5 by his advocate Ashok K Singh.
Chandrashekhar had earlier written to the LG last month alleging that AAP leader Jain extorted Rs 10 crore in 2019 in exchange of his safety in the prison.
The alleged conman later issued a 'press release' from the jail, alleging that in 2016 he had delivered Rs 50 crore to Jain at his farmhouse in Asola, after which Kejriwal and others visited him in the hotel 'Hyatt' for dinner.
In his latest letter, Chandrashekhar urged the LG to "direct the CBI to initiate an urgent investigation in detail and allow me to file FIR for the same, as the pressure is getting too much and any undue event may take place, before that the truth about AAP should be exposed, as the matter is not only about Jain but also Arvind Kejriwal and Kailash Gahlot are also a part of all the episodes that have taken place."
He claimed that he had in August given a part statement regarding his allegations to the CBI.
He also claimed that he had introduced former police commissioner of Bengaluru Bhaskar Rao to Kejriwal, since the top cop was looking to join politics after his stint as a police officer.
"After my introduction of Rao to Kejriwal in 2016, recently Rao was made the head of AAP in Karnataka, which was because of me," he claimed.
"In the interest of justice and truth, it's important that everything is proven in open, hence again I humbly request to order CBI probe urgently, and as undertaken before, I will fully cooperate and assist in the investigation, and the truth of APP, mainly Kejriwal and Jain will be exposed and I will show every single detail of all the meeting, interaction, number of cash deliveries, locations, etc.," he said.
"This is a matter of my personal dignity and it is surprising to see someone who wanted my help at any cost in mobilizing funds is calling me countries biggest thug, as in every matter as mentioned above instructions were directly given and in knowledge of Kejriwal," he said.
The letter written to the LG in October had alleged that more than Rs 50 crore to were given to the AAP on the promise of giving Chandrashekhar an important post in the party in south Zone and also helping him to be nominated to Rajaya sabha following the expansion.
He had alleged that after his arrest in 2017 for the 'two leaf symbol corruption case' he was lodged in Tihar Jail and was visited by Jain, who held the portfolio of Jail Ministry, for multiple times, asking him if he had disclosed anything related to his contribution to the AAP to the investigating agency.
"Thereafter in 2019 again I was visited by Satyendar Jain and his secretary and his close friend Sushil in jail, and asking me to pay Rs 2 crore every month to him as protection money to live safely in jail, and to get even basic facility provided," he had said.
He had added that Jain "asked me to pay Rs 1.50 crore to DG prison Sandeep Goel, who he said was a loyal associate of his. He forced me to pay and total amount of Rs 10 crore in matter of 2 to 3 months was extorted from me through constant pressure."
He had added that all the amounts were collected in Kolkata through his associate.
"Hence a total amount of Rs 10 crore was paid to Satyender Jain, and Rs 12.50 crore to DG prison Sandeep Goel," the letter had alleged, adding that Chandrashekhar had these facts to the ED.
Earlier this month, Director General (Prisons) Sandeep Goel was transferred from the Tihar Jail and asked to report to the police headquarters for further orders.
(With agency inputs)
