The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Tuesday demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal’s alleged role in the bribe for party post and Rajya Sabha ticket to conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar.

Chandrashekhar, who is currently lodged in a Delhi prison, has claimed to have paid Rs 10 crore to the then Delhi minister Satyendra Jain as protection money in exchange for privileges inside the jail and Rs 50 crore to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for a Rajya Sabha berth.

Reacting to the letter written by Chandrashekhar to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia alleged Jain received money from the under trial on behalf of the AAP convener as the latter alone could make good on the promise of both the party post in the south zone as well as Rajya Sabha ticket to Chandrashekhar.

He said AAP had taken Indian politics to a new low by extorting money from under trials. Majithia said it was shocking that the under trial had been forced to cough up Rs Two crore to ensure his safety in jail by the jails minister.

This also is not possible without the acquiescence of the Delhi chief minister Kejriwal and his role in this crime should also be probed by the CBI. Majithia said it seems collecting money is the sole priority of the AAP government in Delhi and that the same model is being adopted in
Punjab.

He said there were accusations that like the promise made to Chandrashekhar, Rajya Sabha tickets were also sold for upwards of Rs 50 Crore each in Punjab. “This accusation should also be taken up for probe by the CBI,” he said.

The Akali leader said the heightened activity of gangsters in Punjab as well as the increase in the extortion rackets also pointed to the fact that they were being given a safe haven in prison from where they were running their crime syndicates.

He demanded a judicial probe into the entire issue including the escape of gangsters from police custody be probed by a high court judge to get to the bottom of the case. Majithia said the increasing cases of corruption by AAP ministers and legislators which had surfaced in Punjab also pointed to the pressure on the Punjab AAP unit to fund the high command.