The political tussle between AAP and the BJP over the arrest of senior AAP leader Satyendar Jain intensified on Tuesday with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a “witch-hunt against the Aam Aadmi Party”.
The BJP hit back by asking what proportion of the benami properties, worth crores of rupees allegedly seized from Mr. Jain’s aides, belonged to Mr. Kejriwal.
“The Prime Minister, with all his might, is set on a witch-hunt against the Aam Aadmi Party. We are seeing vicious campaigns, especially against the governments of Delhi and Punjab. Lies are being spread. Mr. Modi may have the muscle of all his agencies but God is with us,” Mr. Kejriwal said.
Mr. Kejriwal also kept up his attacks on the BJP on the issue of Kashmiri Pandits. “I have sought an appointment with the Union Home Minister to discuss the continuing massacre of Kashmiri Pandits,” he said.
The AAP chief’s attack came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said it had seized 133 gold coins weighing a total of 1.80 kilos and ₹2.85 crore in cash during the searches conducted in connection with the money laundering probe against Mr. Jain and others.
BJP’s counter-attack
In the context of Mr. Kejriwal’s statement that he had seen all the files pertaining to Mr. Jain’s case and had not found anything wrong, Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta said, “If Mr. Jain is so honest, he should be given the Padma Shri. But in view of today’s raid, he should rather be given Param Bhrasht [Most Corrupt] award.”
Mr. Gupta added, “Mr. Kejriwal and company came to power on the pretext of honesty and clean image, but are now fully drowned in corruption.”
‘Failed raid’
Reacting to the ED raids, AAP leaders said that the agency had not recovered anything from Mr. Jain’s house and described it as a “failed raid”.
Reading from the purported seizure memo from Mr. Jain’s house, AAP’s chief spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “As a result of the search, various documents, one digital device, two locker keys were seized. Indian currency totalling ₹2,79,200 was also recovered during the search. However, the same was not seized.”
The AAP leader added that had the money not been accounted for, the ED would have seized it. Mr. Bharadwaj termed it as a “clean chit” to Mr. Jain.
“People will say you entered at 7 p.m. and searched till 2 a.m., what did you get? Nothing. To save their dignity, BJP is spreading lies that they have got crores of rupees and gold. The ED is trying to connect the assets of different people with Mr. Jain. They are doing the same in the court as well,” Mr. Bharadwaj said.
He said that the ED was “spreading a lie” that they recovered gold coins from Mr. Jain’s aides. However, the agency had not declared what they got from Mr. Jain’s house.
AAP has been attacking the BJP and the ED over Mr. Jain’s arrest. Mr. Kejriwal had earlier said that the BJP was planning to frame his deputy Manish Sisodia in false cases and send him to jail.
