Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, on Friday, abruptly sacked his Food and Civil Supplies Minister Asim Ahmed Khan from the six-member Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Cabinet on corruption charges. Announcing the decision during a press conference organised at the Delhi Secretariat, Mr. Kejriwal said Mr. Khan, who also held the Environment and Forest, Elections, and Minorities Affairs portfolios, will be replaced by Ballimaran MLA Imran Hussain who will be sworn in early next week.
Mr. Kejriwal is understood to have taken the decision to expel the 38-year-old Matia Mahal legislator, in addition to referring the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further investigation, within 24 hours of having received, and on the basis of, an hour-long audio recording that featured Mr. Khan ‘cutting a construction deal worth Rs. 6 lakh with a local builder.’
“We want to send a strong message that corruption will not be tolerated,” Mr. Kejriwal said. “Both Manish Sisodia [deputy CM] and I listened to the clip... It seems to be a serious matter. There was a building being constructed in his constituency.
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Its construction was stopped and money was demanded from the builder,” the Chief Minister said, but did not respond when asked whether Mr. Khan would be allowed to continue as an MLA and, or, a member of the party.