The Anti-Corruption Branch in New Delhi has arrested all the three accused. , Photo Credit: PTI
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is actively campaigning to oust the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) from power in the December 4 municipal elections, was hit by allegations of ticket selling. The Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has arrested three persons from Kamla Nagar ward for allegedly taking money for party tickets, the agency said on Wednesday.
‘Demand of Rs 90 lakh’
A man named Gopal Khari, who said he was seeking AAP’s candidature for his wife Shobha Khari, complained to the ACB and extorted ₹90 from party MLAs Akhilesh Pati Tripathi from Model Town and Rajesh Gupta from Wazirpur in lieu of tickets. Accused of demanding Rs.
The ACB said it caught three accused – Om Singh, Mr Tripathi’s brother-in-law, Shiv Shankar Pandey alias Vishal Pandey, Mr Tripathi’s PA, and one Rajkumar Raghuvanshi “red-handed” on Tuesday. A case has been registered against the trio under Section 171 (E) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 7/13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Mr. Khari, in his complaint to the ACB, alleged that he paid ₹35 lakh to Mr. Singh for Mr. Tripathi. and ₹ 20 lakh to Mr. Gupta at his residence”. Mr. Khari, who runs a sweet shop in Kamla Nagar, said in his complaint letter to the ACB, “Om Singh told me ‘you will have to pay the remaining Rs 35 lakh after getting the ticket’.” He also specified the time and place of the alleged payment.
Hitting out at AAP, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta demanded that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal expel the two MLAs. Ramesh Bidhuri, BJP MP from South Delhi, said, ‘Before 2015, Kejriwal used to say that if any MLA is accused of corruption, he should be sacked with immediate effect. Now what decision he will take for the Model Town MLA, only time will tell.
‘Silver Lining’
AAP leader and Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia said that there was a “silver lining” in the matter as “it was now clear that the AAP ticket has not been sold”. “Regardless of whether someone gave the money or someone accepted the money, that person was not given a ticket. This proves that AAP does not sell tickets,” Mr Sisodia said, demanding an independent probe into the allegations.
On the question of involvement of party MLAs, the Deputy CM said, “The ACB probe will bring out the truth, but no MLA recommended the name of the person concerned.”
The ACB said it arrested three people by laying a trap at Mr. Khari’s residence. Mr. Singh “came to return ₹33 lakh out of ₹35 lakh accepted for Mr. Tripathi”. The agency said the money has been seized and further investigation is on in the matter.