Hours after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) wrote to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs alleging that Punjab and Delhi’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) unlawfully received over Rs 7 crore in foreign funds against the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) rules, the Aam Aadmi Party denied the claim on Monday.
AAP termed it as a ‘new conspiracy by the BJP’ to tarnish the Kejriwal government’s reputation during the Lok Sabha elections.
Also Read:Lok Sabha election 2024: West Delhi records highest ‘Vote from Home’ turnout
In a joint press conference by AAP leaders Atishi and Sandeep Pathak, the party accused the BJP of attempting to revive an old issue to target them, claiming as the Delhi elections draw nearer, more such allegations would likely surface as part of the BJP’s strategy.
ED writes to Home Ministry
The Enforcement Directorate has written to the Union Home Ministry, accusing the Aam Aadmi Party of receiving more than Rs 7 crore in foreign funds, which goes against the rules of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA). The federal probe agency sent this communication after finding certain documents and emails during a money laundering investigation related to drugs, involving former Punjab AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira and others.
AAP leaders have stated that the party has already provided all necessary evidence to the relevant authorities and emphasized that they have maintained transparency in receiving donations, providing full records to the Election Commission.
AAP accuses BJP of ‘dirty politics’
In a scathing attack on the BJP, AAP leader Atishi accused the BJP of engaging in “dirty politics”. She refuted the ED’s allegations as baseless, terming them as attempts by rivals to frame AAP in a new case out of fear of AAP’s potential electoral success.
“These are baseless allegations. It is an old case where it is already proved that no illegal donation was taken. As the elections are going on, the BJP has hatched a new conspiracy to frame the AAP,” she claimed.
Also Read:‘Party’s image maligned’: BJP issues show cause notice to MP Jayant Sinha after he skips voting
“They failed to farme us in the liquor scam and the Swati Maliwal issue,” she alleged, adding, “They also failed to keep Kejriwal ji behind bars. That’s why they have racked up this new issue now to target AAP,” as PTI reported.
Slamming the saffron party, Atishi also declared that if the INDIA bloc takes power after June 4, they will conduct a thorough investigation into the corruption allegedly committed by the BJP.
“The BJP is scared of Kejriwal and it is known to them that they don’t stand a chance to win in front of the work done by the AAP government. That’s why as soon as the poll dates were announced, the BJP got Kejriwal arrested in a fake liquor scam case,” she alleged.
The party further emphasised that in 2015, the Union Home Ministry had cleared the party of any wrongdoing and issued a clean chit. They stated that all the proofs had been submitted to the Enforcement Directorate, CBI, and MHA. In 2015, the MHA informed the High Court that no irregularities were found.