In an explosive flip of occasions Monday, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has referred to as for an anti-terror probe into allegations Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal obtained political funding from the banned Sikhs For Justice group based by needed terrorist Gurpatwant Pannun.
Mr Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party hit again swiftly through senior chief Saurabh Bhardwaj, who dismissed the decision for a probe by the National Investigation Agency as a “conspiracy” towards the social gathering and its chief. “LG sir is an agent of the BJP… This is another big conspiracy against Chief Minister Kejriwal at the behest of the BJP,” he mentioned in a quick assertion.
The allegations – the newest in a long-running and fierce warfare between the AAP and the Bharatiya Janata Party in energy on the centre – come lower than three weeks earlier than the nationwide capital votes within the common election. In 2019 the BJP gained all Delhi’s seven seats.
In an in depth letter to the Union Home Secretary, Mr Saxena referred to a video (which he mentioned was enclosed with the missive) wherein Pannun declares Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party “received a staggering amount of $16 million in funding from Khalistani groups…”
“… Kejriwal purportedly promised to facilitate release of Devender Pal Bhullar, in return for substantial financial backing from Khalistani factions to Aam Aadmi Party…” the LG’s letter mentioned, citing a grievance from a Hindu non secular physique and tweets by a former AAP employee.
The AAP boss additionally reportedly obtained cash to “espouse pro-Khalistani sentiments”.
Bhullar, a former professor, was convicted within the 1993 Delhi bomb blasts case. In 2001 he was given the loss of life sentence however that was later commuted to life imprisonment.
Arvind Kejriwal is already in jail over corruption fees linked to the alleged Delhi liquor coverage rip-off that’s being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation. Mr Kejriwal and the AAP have denied all fees, labelling them acts of “political vendetta” by the BJP forward of the 2024 Lok Sabha election.
Mr Kejriwal has challenged his arrest – he was arrested March 21 – within the Supreme Court. He was the third high AAP chief to be arrested on this case, after ex-Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh. Mr Singh is out on bail.
Arvind Kejriwal has argued that his arrest was unlawful since there isn’t any proof linking him to the alleged crime. The high court docket, which continues to be listening to the case, has mentioned it can contemplate bail for Mr Kejriwal so he can marketing campaign for his social gathering for the forthcoming Delhi election.