Madarihat by-election campaign heats up
As the Madarihat by-election approaches on 13 November, the stalled road over bridge (ROB) at a railway crossing in Birpara has emerged as a key campaign issue.
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday harangued Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal for not appearing before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam case.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “Today you don’t want to appear before the ED, and asked in what capacity you are being summoned?
“You are being summoned as the main source of corruption from where corruption emerges. While Manish Sisodia, Satyendra Jain and Sanjay Singh are small pots, you are the sea of corruption,” Patra said.
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The scathing attack from the BJP came after Kejriwal refused to appear before the ED for questioning in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam case.
In a letter to ED, Kejriwal said that the summons didn’t clear in capacity he is being called and appeared motivated. The Delhi CM claimed that the summons was issued to malign his image and reputation hours after BJP leaders claimed he will be called for investigation and arrested soon.
The ED summons to Kejriwal was issued on Monday hours after the Supreme Court rejected his former deputy Manish Sisodia’s bail plea, saying the Rs 338 crore money trail has been tentatively established.
The BJP spokesperson claimed the Rs 338 crore money trail is just the tip of the iceberg and asked people Delhi whether Kejriwal should be probed after the Supreme Court verdict on Sisodia’s bail plea.
“When it has been said in Supreme Court that Rs 338 crore money trail has been established in the liquor scam, then the public needs to tell whether or not Arvind Kejriwal should be probed? The Rs 338 crore money trail in this scam is only the tip of the iceberg,” Patra added.
The Enforcement Directorate has registered a money laundering case in connection with the alleged irregularities in the Delhi’s now-scrapped liquor policy. According to the ED, Sisodia is the main accused, who brought and implemented the new liquor policy that allegedly benefitted a few private players in exchange of kickbacks.
However, Kejriwal was named in the initial chargesheet and the ED has not cleared if he is also a suspect in the case. The BJP, however, has been accusing Kejriwal of involvement in the alleged scam.
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