On Friday, December 13, a three-member panel, constituted to inquire about the bribery allegations meted at AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal and jailed AAP minister Satyendar Jain by conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, submitted its report to the Lieutenant Governor, reported India Today.
In its report, the inquiry panel said that it found the allegations “grave” and “serious” in nature and recommended a detailed investigation by central agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Notably, a three-member committee headed by the principal secretary (Home) of the Delhi government was constituted by LG VK Saxena after Sukesh Chandrashekhar filed a complaint with him against Kejriwal and his party, alleging they extorted money from him. In his complaint, he alleged to have paid Rs 10 crore for protection inside the jail and Rs 50 crore for party funds. He also alleged he was asked to raise funds for Punjab and Goa elections.
Now, the panel submitted its report to the Delhi LG in which it said that it met Sukesh Chandrashekhar in jail and recorded his statement on two different occasions.
According to the committee’s report, Sukesh has reiterated his allegations that Satyendar Jain received 60 crore rupees (Rs 50 crore for securing a seat in the Rajya Sabha and expanding the Aam Aadmi Party’s influence in southern India, and another Rs 10 crore as protection money in 2019). He also reiterated that he paid another 12.50 crore to the then-Director General of the Prison, Sandeep Goel.
The committee said that it recorded Sukesh’s statement on November 14 and 15 at Mandoli Jail. The conman asserted that Arvind Kejriwal was fully aware of these financial dealings and that he had paid Satyendra Jain 50 crore rupees in cash over the course of three to four instalments at the farm of Kailash Gahlot, the transport minister for Delhi.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar even claimed that Kejriwal, Jain, and Gahlot attended the dinner celebration he hosted at the Hotel Hyatt Regency, Bhikaji Kama Place, once the full sum of Rs 50 crore was paid in 2017.
He further confirmed to the committee that he had all of the Whatsapp conversations between him and Satyendar Jain confirming the amount, delivery date, and delivery location and that he would provide them as proof as and when requested by the agency conducting the investigation.
Sukesh also told the committee members that every time he got the instalments delivered to Satyendar Jain and Kailash Gehlot, “I also wanted to convey the same to Mr Arvind Kejriwal and due to same, I was allowed to speak to Mr Arvind Kejriwal after every delivery from the phone of Mr Satyendar Jain…”
Sukesh went on record to assert that Satyendar Jain had introduced him to Manish Sisodia, the deputy chief minister of Delhi and that they had since kept in touch. A writ case was also filed in the High Court, he added, and he mentioned that he had informed the Enforcement Directorate and CBI authorities of this as well.
In regards to the alleged payments to the then-Director General (Prisons), the inquiry committee asked Sukesh Chandrashekar to provide detailed information like the phone numbers through which the chats were exchanged, the people to whom the money was paid, the mode of payment, the location of the payments, and the date of the payments etc.
In his defence, the conman told the panel “I don’t remember the phone numbers but I have screenshots of the WhatsApp chats as mentioned by me about the related parties. The amounts to DG (Prisons) were paid by me to his staff such as driver and other prison staff namely Mr Sanjay, warden and assistant superintendent Mr Dharam Singh Meena.”
“As mentioned by me, the locations payment in respect of DG (Prisons) was at only two locations as directed by him which was Bharat Petrol Pump at Civil Lines and Haldirams Sweet Shop at Model Town. At present, I am not having the vehicle/car number but the description of the car is of a white Suzuki Ciaz,” Sukesh added.
As per India Today, the probe panel also spoke with ED and CBI officials to confirm the validity of Sukesh’s allegations. The committee has advised a thorough investigation by a specialised body, calling the claims “grave” and “serious” in nature and citing a lack of resources to further verify them.
Sukesh Chandrashekhar and his allegations against AAP
Notably, conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar, who is in jail in a 200 crore extortion case, has been dropping letter bombs on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), making serious allegations against its leaders including incarcerated Delhi Minister Satyendar Jain and party supremo and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.
From confessing to providing Rs 10 crore as “protection money” to incarcerated Aam Aadmi Party minister Satyendar Jain to claiming to have given Rs 50 crore for party funds to revealing how Satyendra Jain had sought his help to convert 20 million dollars into Indian rupees and bitcoins, the conman has until now written as many as six letters to Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena levelling allegations against AAP and its leaders.
