Rajendra Kumar, Arvind Kejriwal's former Principal Secretary, has asked for voluntary retirement
Highlights
- Rajendra Kumar seeks early retirement in letter to Delhi Chief Secretary
- Kumar alleges CBI harassed him to implicate Kejriwal for corruption
- Rajendra Kumar was arrested in July for alleged corruption
Arvind Kejriwal's former top officer Rajendra Kumar has requested early retirement from service in a long letter that alleges that the CBI wanted him to implicate the Delhi Chief Minister for corruption. "The same set of people" forced bureaucrat BK Bansal and his son to commit suicide, he alleges.
The CBI has denied the allegations, calling them "absolutely baseless" in a statement.
Mr Kejriwal's Aam Aadmi Party, however, seized the officer's claim as proof that it is being targeted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "There are nine CBI cases against AAP Ministers and lawmakers. We are getting to hear that (minister) Satyendra Jain will soon be arrested. Next it will be me," said Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
Rajendra Kumar, who was Principal Secretary to Mr Kejriwal, was arrested in July in connection with alleged corruption in a contract for computers. He was later suspended and also charged.
"I was repeatedly told that I would be let free if I implicate the Chief Minister of Delhi," Mr Kumar wrote in the letter addressed to the Delhi Chief Secretary. "Not only this - the CBI, just to force people to implicate me and the Chief Minister, has beaten up dozens of people and some of them sustained permanent major injuries," Mr Kumar alleged.
He remarked that he had "never before seen such utter disregard for system, process, protocol, transparency and decency".
In his letter, Mr Kumar refers to the Bansal family suicides last year as an example of CBI "atrocities". BK Bansal and his son were found hanging months after his wife and daughter committed suicide in their Delhi home. Mr Bansal was being investigated for alleged bribe-taking.
Mr Kumar today said he stands by his allegations.
"I will continue to remain in public service... I will pursue social service in every way possible," he added, hinting at a future in politics.
Mr Kejriwal, reacting to the allegations of his former aide, tweeted on Wednesday: " CBI raids my office, pressurises officer to implicate me. Why are u so so scared of us Modi ji? Chill."