In a disclosure of allegedly deep seeded corruption in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday presented two sting recordings at a media briefing allegedly showing the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) selling tickets for Delhi Municipal Corporation (MCD) elections.
Bindu Sriram, a former AAP worker, allegedly filmed the clips and asserted she was asked to pay 80 lakh rupees for a ticket. AAP leader Sriram, who filmed the sting, was also present at the press conference, along with BJP national spokesman Sambit Patra and Rohini MLA Vijender Gupta.
National Spokesperson Shri @sambitswaraj and MLA Shri @Gupta_vijender are addressing a Press Conference. https://t.co/EgwyyzTns1
— BJP Delhi (@BJP4Delhi) November 21, 2022
AAP official Puneet Goyal and a man by the name of Dinesh Saraf can be heard telling AAP leader Bindu Sriram that she must pay Rs. 80 lakh in return for an electoral ticket from Ward 54 Rohini-D in the first part of the sting operation. Saraf is a relative of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Gupta, whilst Goyal is in charge of the Rohini-D seat and is reported to be close to Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai.
(Sting Video 1): Arvind Kejriwal’s party selling MCD ticket for 80 lakh rupees. Want the full payment in one go. Not in instalments.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) November 21, 2022
Puneet Goyal, the conduit, in conversation with aspirant Bindu Sriram Bhargav.
आज AAP टिकट बेच रही है, कल MCD में आये, तो पूरी दिल्ली बेच देंगे। pic.twitter.com/pJUUihzrb7
In the second portion of the sting operation, shot in a vehicle, Bindu Sriram demands confirmation of the bribe from senior AAP politician RR Pathania. He is the in-charge of the North West Delhi Lok Sabha constituency and the convenor of the Delhi AAP’s SC/ST wing. He also serves on the AAP National Executive. In the video, both of them can be heard saying that the choice of tickets is made by senior party leaders such as Gopal Rai, Atishi Marlena, Durgesh Pathak, and Saurabh Bharadwaj, upon confirmation of the payment.
(Sting Video 2): AAP ticket aspirant Bindu Sriram Bhargav doesn’t trust Puneet Goyal and wants confirmation from Pathania, on whose behest he collects money.
— Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) November 21, 2022
Pathania claims committee comprising Gopal Rai, Durgesh, Saurabh and Atishi, all close to Kejriwal, take the final call… pic.twitter.com/FEDRGfKACc
In the media briefing, BJP leader Sambit Patra said, “Bindu had to pay a total amount of Rs.80 lakh. The first instalment was Rs.21 lakh. The second instalment was Rs.40 lakh. And the third instalment was Rs.21 lakh out of which Rs.10 lakh was cash and a cheque of Rs.11 lakh in the form of a donation to AAP.”
“A candidate is bringing to your notice that AAP is selling tickets in Delhi. Every worker is working on the ground in every seat. But he doesn’t have the reach. Instead of him, the ticket is given to those rich people who have money. This is the proof. Many people will have proof. But they are scared of producing it,” Bindu Sriram said
Bindu Sriram said that the entire gang is in action where a fully corrupt party has taken the voters of Delhi in confidence and has been dodging them to their advantage. She said the leader of the gang is Arvind ‘Natwarlal.’ Bindu appealed to the voters of Gujarat to not vote for Arvind Kejriwal as he is the one who is selling tickets for the MCD elections and “if he can sell a ticket, he can sell entire Gujarat.”
AAP MLA’s kin arrested for selling MCD election ticket
On November 16, Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) arrested Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Model Town MLA Akhilesh Pati Tripathi’s brother-in-law Om Singh, Tripathi’s Personal Assistant (PA) Shiv Shankar Pandey alias Vishal Pandey and Prince Raghuvanshi for allegedly taking bribe for tickets of Municipal Elections in Delhi.
They were arrested under relevant sections of the Corruption Act and bribery in elections. As per reports, cash worth Rs 33 lakh was recovered from their possession.
In his complaint to the Additional CP, complainant Gopal Khari alleged that on November 9, he went to Akhilesh Tripathi’s office seeking a ticket for his wife. He was told he had to pay Rs 90 lakh for the ticket.
