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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has accused Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of promising ₹90 lakh to each of the party's 40 candidates in the 2021 Goa Assembly election. The CBI claims this money, intended for campaign funding, was provided by a group known as the 'South Group' in exchange for favors granted to them by the Delhi government through the now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22. This revelation was made during a court hearing on Tuesday, September 5, 2023, where the CBI presented arguments for the consideration of a supplementary chargesheet.
The CBI alleges that the bribe money, amounting to ₹45 crore, was channeled to AAP and spent as directed by Arvind Kejriwal. Vijay Nair, the former communications in-charge of AAP, is accused of negotiating the deal with the 'South Group,' while AAP MLA Durgesh Pathak, responsible for the Assembly election, reportedly shared instructions for the election-related expenditure. The CBI further asserts that no further investigation is required and they are ready for the trial.
In response to these allegations, AAP issued a statement dismissing the claims as unsubstantiated stories concocted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to manipulate headlines. The party claims that all corrupt politicians in India have joined the BJP and asserts that the security deposits of all BJP candidates will be forfeited in upcoming elections. Kejriwal's arrest by the CBI in June this year stemmed from a complaint filed by Lieutenant-Governor V.K. Saxena, alleging irregularities in the implementation of the liquor policy. The court has extended Kejriwal's judicial custody for another week, with the next hearing scheduled for September 3.
Source: AAP got ₹45 cr. in bribe, CM promised ₹90 lakh to party nominees in Goa: CBI