BJP Demands CBI Probe Into Jailed Conman's Claims Of Bribing AAP

Delhi BJP today demanded a CBI probe into jailed comman Sukesh Chandrashekhar's claims that he had bribed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

Addressing a press conference here, Delhi BJP president Adesh Gupta also demanded the transfer of jailed AAP minister Satyendar Jain from the capital to a prison either in Uttar Pradesh or Haryana.

BJP MP Parvesh Verma, too, demanded Jain's transfer to a prison in any state except the AAP-ruled Punjab.

"If Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia gets arrested in the liquor scam as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal claims, he too should not be kept in any Delhi jail," Verma said.

Jain is in jail in connection with a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate.

Demanding a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into Chandrashekhar's allegations, Gupta said, "He has claimed that he paid Rs 10 crore to Jain, the then jail minister in the Kejriwal government, for his protection in prison. The conman has also said he had paid Rs 50 crore for a Rajya Sabha seat. These allegations merit a CBI inquiry." The BJP leader said a party delegation will soon meet Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena in this connection.

Chandrashekhar, currently in Mandoli jail here, has shot three letters levelling several allegations on the AAP leaders.

In one of the letters, he alleged that he met AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and that he was asked to arrange Rs 500 crore for the party's expansion in southern states. He also gave details of the payment he made to former DGP (Prison) Sandip Goyal.

According to Verma, Chandrashekhar has also claimed that he had informed the CBI in August about the money he paid to the AAP.

"Kejriwal often accuses the BJP of dismantling his party. However, these accusations are vague and he does not give details. But Chandrashekhar has given all the details about the money he has paid to them. This requires a CBI probe," the West Delhi MP said.

He alleged that the Tihar jail under the Delhi government's administrative control had turned into a "den of corruption" where Satyendar Jain is lodged and is "misusing" his position.

Verma said he believed that Chandrashekhar's allegation of paying Rs 50 crore to the AAP for a Rajya Sabha seat held water because Kejriwal had in the past nominated some people having no connection with the party to the Upper House.

He also claimed that he will expose newly appointed AAP minister Raaj Kumar Anand on Tuesday, but did not elaborate on this.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)