In a move that could spark more trouble for Arvind Kejriwal ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, an investigation has been initiated into the luxury items found at his official residence - derisively named 'Sheeshmahal' by the opposition - a senior BJP leader has said. The probe comes less than a week after Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena sanctioned the AAP chief's prosecution by the Enforcement Directorate in the Delhi liquor policy case.
Delhi BJP President and Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta had filed a complaint with the Lieutenant Governor after the Public Works Department had, in October, released an inventory of the items found in Mr Kejriwal's official bungalow at 6, Flag Staff Road, which he occupied during his tenure as the Delhi chief minister. The BJP had alleged that the list included 16 4K TVs priced at Rs 64 lakh, 50 ACs, toilet seats costing Rs 12 crore, 75 Bose ceiling speakers and a 934-litre multi-door fridge with AI features, among others.
Mr Gupta had written a letter to Mr Saxena on November 20 and the Lieutenant Governor had asked the Vigilance Department to investigate the matter on December 6. The Vigilance Department had, in turn, asked the Public Works Department to carry out a probe into the alleged discrepancies in the items found at the bungalow and submit its report within five days.
Speaking after the order was issued, Mr Gupta said, "The 'Sheeshmahal' built by Kejriwal ji is still hiding many secrets. Government money was misused, there was corruption and eight bungalows and flats were demolished to increase the size of the bungalow by five times. There is also a big difference between the items given by the PWD when he started living in 'Sheeshmahal' in April 2022 and what was found after he left in October 2024."
The BJP leader said a question then arose about who gave the money for the items to the AAP chief and that he had written to the Lieutenant Governor because he saw links between that and the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam.
"Who gave the items worth crores and what did they get in return? I have received a letter stating that the Vigilance Department has asked the PWD to probe the discrepancies. The probe was supposed to have been completed on Tuesday and the PWD must have submitted a report. The issue is not just the Rs 54 crore spent on 'Sheeshmahal', which was from the government funds, but the expansion by getting eight government bungalows emptied," Mr Gupta alleged.
"If the additional construction is taken into account, it seems at least Rs 200 crore was being spent on Mr Kejriwal's 'Sheeshmahal' but it was stopped because the issue came to light. Apart from this, crores were also spent privately. Is this money spent by Mr Kejriwal or money earned from the liquor policy scam is something only the Vigilance Department inquiry can reveal," he added.
The AAP has maintained that the new furnishings and upgrades were necessary as the chief minister's residence had been built in 1942 and needed a complete overhaul. The party has also claimed that it was the PWD itself that had recommended the changes.
