Lieutenant Governor Recommends NIA Probe into Alleged AAP-Khalistani Funding
In a significant development, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena has urged the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to investigate allegations of illicit funding received by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), a proscribed US-based Khalistani group.
AAP Denies Allegations, Cries Political Conspiracy
AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj vehemently dismissed the accusations, terming them as another conspiracy against Kejriwal. He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating the allegations due to its apprehension of defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in Delhi.
Lt Governor's Basis for Complaint
The Lt Governor's office received a complaint stating that AAP had received 16 million USD from pro-Khalistani groups to facilitate the release of Devendra Pal Bhullar, a convicted terrorist involved in the 1993 Delhi blasts. Additionally, the complaint alleged that AAP espoused pro-Khalistani sentiments.
Given the gravity of the allegations, specifically the involvement of a Chief Minister and the funds coming from a banned organization, the Lt Governor deemed it necessary for a thorough investigation, including forensic examination of the electronic evidence provided by the complainant.
Kejriwal's Letter to Iqbal Singh Raises Suspicions
The Lt Governor highlighted a crucial piece of evidence: a letter Kejriwal wrote to one Iqbal Singh in January 2014. The letter acknowledged that the AAP government had already recommended Bhullar's release to the President and vowed to address other issues empathetically and expeditiously. Iqbal Singh, who was fasting at Jantar Mantar to demand Bhullar's release, ended his protest upon receiving the letter from Kejriwal.
SFJ Chief Alleges Substantial Funding
The complaint also cited a video released by Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the SFJ chief and wanted Khalistani terrorist, who claimed that AAP accepted 16 million USD from Khalistani groups during the period 2014-2022.
Kejriwal's New York Meeting with Khalistani Leaders
The Lt Governor's office further alleged that Kejriwal held clandestine meetings with Khalistani leaders at Gurudwara Richmond Hills in New York during his visit in 2014. The allegations suggest that Kejriwal pledged to aid Bhullar's release in return for significant financial backing from Khalistani factions for AAP.
Former AAP member Dr. Munish Kumar Raizada has shared photographs on social media purportedly depicting Kejriwal's meeting with Khalistani leaders.
Kejriwal's Current Legal Status
It is pertinent to note that Kejriwal is currently in judicial custody and lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail since April 1 in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Delhi liquor policy. The Enforcement Directorate arrested him on March 21.
AAP's Counteroffensive
Bharadwaj, the AAP leader, accused the BJP of political machination and alleged that the party feared defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in the national capital. He claimed that this conspiracy had been brewing since before the 2022 Punjab assembly elections.
