New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using Delhi’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) as a political weapon against its leaders. This allegation follows the summons of former ministers Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain for questioning in connection with a corruption case.
AAP asserts that there is no basis for the claims of corruption related to the construction of classrooms, which the two leaders are being accused of overseeing. The party described the ACB’s actions as “purely political.”
The ACB has summoned Sisodia and Jain regarding alleged financial irregularities amounting to ₹2,000 crore in the construction of over 12,000 classrooms and semi-permanent structures in Delhi government schools. Jain is scheduled to appear before the ACB on June 6, while Sisodia is set to be questioned on June 9, according to an official statement.
In response to the summons, AAP stated, “This is not a scam by any means. It is a calculated political maneuver by the BJP. They are weaponizing institutions to attack AAP leaders and fabricate a false narrative. These allegations lack any substantive evidence and are purely political in nature.” As of now, the BJP has not issued a response to AAP’s claims.
The summons follows the registration of a First Information Report (FIR) by the ACB on April 30, which was based on allegations of financial misconduct in the classroom construction project.
AAP further criticized the BJP, stating, “During our tenure in Delhi, the BJP systematically undermined the ACB, stripping it of its authority. Now, they are exploiting this weakened institution to target AAP leaders and advance their own agenda.”
The BJP regained power in Delhi after nearly 26 years following the February elections.
“It is becoming increasingly evident that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has no intention of effective governance. Their entire five-year strategy appears to be centered on targeting and vilifying us, while attempting to sustain a government built on deception and vendetta,” the statement asserted.
In 2019, BJP leaders Kapil Mishra, Harish Khurana, and Neelkant Bakshi lodged a formal complaint with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), alleging significant financial irregularities in the construction of classrooms across three districts in Delhi.
The complaint contended that the average cost per classroom was reported at Rs 24.86 lakh, a figure that is alarmingly higher than the estimated Rs 5 lakh typically required for similar structures.
Officials have confirmed that an investigation is currently underway, and further actions will be determined based on the findings of this ongoing inquiry.
