Kejriwal accused of taking Rs 2 crore from colleague

Sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra on Sunday accused Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of taking Rs 2 crore from a Cabinet colleague two days ago.

Mishra also claimed that the minister, Satyendar Jain, had settled a land deal worth Rs 50 crore for one of Kejriwal’s relatives.

While Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia rubbished the allegations as baseless that “did not deserve” any response, the Opposition BJP and Congress demanded Kejriwal’s resignation and initiation of an investigation.

“He (Mishra) has made many wild allegations. Nobody will believe this. What will you say to such allegations? There is no head or tail to it,” Sisodia told reporters.

“Day before yesterday, I saw Satyendar Jain handing over Rs 2 crore to Kejriwal at his residence. I asked Kejriwal what it is and he did not reply. But he said such things happen in politics and it will be told at the appropriate time,” Mishra told reporters after he briefed Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on the developments.

“It has to be explained whose money this is. How did this money reach Jain? Has somebody committed a wrongdoing? Kejriwal is human and to err is human. If it is a mistake, he should come out in public. He should put all the details in public domain,” said Mishra, who was on Saturday removed from the Cabinet citing non-performance.

Mishra also claimed that Jain had “personally” told him that he had “settled a land deal worth Rs 50 crore for Kejriwal’s relative”. “When I told Kejriwal about it, he said it was a lie and asked me to have faith in him,” he added.

The latest episode has the potential to create rumblings in the AAP, which survived a crisis last week after senior leader Kumar Vishwas revolted against the party’s functioning. Kejriwal quelled the rebellion by placating Vishwas, who was emerging as the voice of dissenters. The sacking of Mishra, a Vishwas loyalist, has stirred the pot again, as it comes three weeks after he said the party needs to introspect on several fronts.

Mishra claimed he was the only minister with no corruption charges. “There is no CBI inquiry against me. I did not give any post to my daughter or any relative. I exposed corruption by (former Delhi chief minister) Sheila Dikshit,” he said. “The day Jain lands in jail, I will be proven right. Just wait and watch,” Mishra later tweeted.