AAP calls ED claims 'blatantly false', says will take action for defamation

Arvind Kejriwal. File Pic

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) refuted the allegations of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged Delhi Jal Board (DJB) scam case, calling them "blatantly false" and said it would take legal action against the investigating agency for defaming the party, reported news agency ANI.

The response came on Wednesday, a day after the central agency conducted searches on the premises of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's personal assistant and others in connection with the Delhi Jal Board corruption case.

AAP calls ED claims 'blatantly false': 'We condemn'

The ED, in a press release, alleged on Wednesday that investigation and digital evidence revealed that a former chief engineer of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) passed on the bribe money to persons connected with AAP, among others, and that the money was also passed on to AAP as "election funds," reported ANI.

In response to the searches and the central agencies statement on the same, the Aam Aadmi Party released an official statement refuting the claims.

"We condemn any kind of wrongdoing done by DJB officials or its contractors, if proven true. We also condemn the ED's blatantly false allegation that AAP or its leaders have anything to do with this case. Not a single penny or piece of evidence has been recovered from the AAP leaders who were raided yesterday by ED," party's official statement said on Wednesday. It's clear that the Modi government is a big believer in Hitler's ideology, "If you repeat a lie a thousand times, people will start believing in it," the statement from the AAP said, reported ANI.

The statment attacked the agencies under the central government and said that none of the cases filed against AAP leaders had been proven in courts and that the only purpose of the these investigations was to create a "media sensation."

AAP calls ED claims 'blatantly false': 'Modi government and their 'mayajaal' of agencies'

As per AAP's official statment, "Over last 10 years, Modi government and their 'mayajaal' of agencies like ED and CBI have filed over 230 cases against AAP leaders. Yet not a single one has been proven in courts. This shows their only purpose is to defame CM Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party by creating a media sensation every day," reported ANI.

"By yet again naming AAP without any evidence, ED has proven it is nothing but a mouthpiece of the BJP. We will take legal action against the ED for defaming AAP," it added, reported ANI.

AAP calls ED claims 'blatantly false': Ayushman Bharat scam or Bharatmala project scam

The official statement also attacked the Enforcement Directorate and questioned why the central agency did not investigate scams such as the Ayushman Bharat scam or Bharatmala project scam, reported ANI.

"If the ED was really keen on tackling corruption and money laundering, why is it that there is no investigation into scams of the Modi government revealed by the CAG like the Ayushman Bharat scam or Bharatmala project scam where a km of road was built for 250 Cr instead of 18 cr," it said, reported ANI.

Calling out Bharatiya Janata party leaders, the official statement by AAP said, "Why is it that ED has stopped investigating corrupt people like Chagan Bhujbal, Narayan Rane, Ajit Pawar and Suvendu Adhikari just because they have aligned with BJP?", reported ANI.

The ED had initiated the investigations on the basis of an FIR registered by the CBI for offences related to corruption or bribery in the DJB.

Earlier on February 1, Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court granted four-day custody of Jagdish Arora and Anil Agarwal to the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

This case is related to irregularities in awarding a Delhi Jal Board tender for the supply of electromagnetic flow meters.

It is alleged that the accused awarded the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) contract for supply, Installation, Testing and commissioning (SITC) of electromagnetic flow metres and corresponding O&M operations for five years to M/S NKG Infrastructure Ltd on September 20, 2018 for a total negotiated cost of Rs 38,02,33,080, despite the fact that the company did not meet the technical criteria.

(With inputs from ANI)