BJP calls for judicial probe into lunches at Kejriwal residence

A lunch organised at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence last year has now sparked a row with the BJP accusing the AAP of splurging tax payers’ money for party purposes.

New Delhi, April 9: The BJP on Sunday demanded a judicial probe into two luncheons at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence last year which allegedly cost the exchequer around Rs 11 lakh, a charge denied by the ruling AAP.

Leader of opposition in the Delhi assembly Vijender Gupta alleged that Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had "conspired" with the principal secretary finance to suppress the truth in the matter. "BJP wants the Lt Governor to order a judicial inquiry which is conducted in a time-bound manner.

Action should be taken against ministers and officials involved. The details of the menu should also be disclosed," he said at a press conference.

Sisodia's claim that he had never cleared the files relating to the payment also did not cut ice with the BJP. The lunch was hosted and food was consumed, so AAP's clarification makes no sense, Gupta said.

Sisodia on Saturday had claimed, "the so-called food bill of Rs 13,000 per plate was sent to me by officers for clearance a year back, but I never approved those. The files have been with the then L-G Najeeb Jung's office for the past six months. It seems the L-G's office has leaked it now under pressure from the BJP." BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra hit out at Kejriwal over the observations of the Shunglu panel report.

"The report has clearly pointed out that Kejriwal's relative Nikunj Agarwal was appointed as OSD to Health Minister Satyendar Jain violating all norms. The question is why was it done," Patra said and offered his own theory which had no mention in the Shunglu report.

PTI