Arvind Kejriwal: AAP accuses BJP of plotting against CM Kejriwal as Delhi LG urges NIA probe; calls it a political ploy

LG Vinai Kumar Saxena has recommended that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conduct a probe against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over allegations of receiving political funding from the banned terrorist organization Sikhs for Justice. The recommendation was made following a complaint from Ashoo Mongia, national general secretary of World Hindu Federation India, accusing Kejriwal-led AAP of receiving $16 million from pro-Khalistan groups.The complaint alleges that these funds were used to facilitate the release of Devendra Pal Bhullar and to support pro-Khalistan sentiments. Bhullar is currently imprisoned at the Amritsar Central Jail. In response to the allegations, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj labeled Saxena as an “agent of BJP” and described the actions as a major political conspiracy against Kejriwal.

He highlighted that similar allegations were made before the Punjab assembly elections in 2022, which led to an investigation by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, but no conclusive evidence was found.

“BJP had made the same allegations just before the Punjab assembly elections in 2022. Union home minister Amit Shah had ordered an investigation but nothing came of it,” Bharadwaj said.

Bharadwaj accused Saxena of attempting to tarnish Kejriwal’s image ahead of the Delhi elections. He cited a previous High Court dismissal of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the matter as frivolous. The court had noted that Shah had already initiated action based on a letter from the then Punjab Chief Minister, indicating that court intervention was unnecessary.

Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj posted on X, “This is a complete misuse of the constitutional office of LG. A PIL demanding a high-level investigation into the same matter was dismissed by HC two years ago. The division bench of acting chief justice Vipin Sanghi and justice Navin Chawla rejected the plea filed by one Jagdish Sharma, stating that it was ‘completely frivolous’.”

The LG’s office has forwarded a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) requesting an investigation into the matter. The letter also references a 2014 communication from Kejriwal to Iqbal Singh, where Kejriwal purportedly mentions recommending Bhullar’s release to the President and promising to work on related issues sympathetically and promptly.

A letter from the LG’s office to MHA says, “Since the complaint is made against a chief minister and relates to political funding received from a banned terrorist organisation, electronic evidence adduced by the complainant requires investigation, including forensic examination.”

In the complaint lodged with the LG, it was alleged that during his visit to Gurdwara Richmond Hills in New York in 2014, Arvind Kejriwal held secretive meetings with Khalistani leaders. The complaint asserts that during these meetings, Kejriwal promised to facilitate the release of Devendra Pal Bhullar in exchange for significant financial support from Khalistani factions for AAP.

Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani terrorist, released a video statement in March claiming that pro-Khalistan Sikhs had provided $16 million to Kejriwal and AAP between 2014 and 2022. Pannun also alleged that Kejriwal, who is currently detained in Tihar Jail after being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on corruption charges, had met with pro-Khalistan Sikhs at the gurdwara in New York in 2014.

Responding to these allegations, Saurabh Bharadwaj accused the LG of working at the behest of the BJP to tarnish Kejriwal’s image ahead of the Delhi elections. He stated that various tactics were being employed to defame the Chief Minister in the run-up to the elections.

AAP has refuted these claims, asserting that they are part of a larger political conspiracy orchestrated by the LG, at the behest of the BJP, to defame Kejriwal ahead of the Delhi elections.