DDCA graft probe real cause for raid, says Kejriwal

Says will apologise for calling the PM a 'psychopath' if he apologises to the nation for his actions

Visibly angry, a determined Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, looking at television cameras, thundered: “Modi ji, you don’t know yet, of what mettle I am made. Others might run scared of your CBI raids but I am not intimidated by such threats. I will fight for the country till my last breath.”

He followed that tirade with a direct charge against Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, alleging that the CBI raids were aimed at getting hold of an inquiry committee file relating to Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) functioning. “Yeh file hai DDCA ka file jiske andar Arun Jaitley phas rahe hain (This file pertains to the DDCA probe in which Arun Jaitley is getting trapped).

Refuting the Centre’s claims that the raids were in connection with corruption charges against his Principal Secretary Rajender Kumar, the CM said, “Rajender Kumar bahana hai, Kejriwal nishana hai (Rajender Kumar is an excuse, the real target is Kejriwal).”

Elaborating on the point, he said, “Jaitley was the DDCA president for many years and I had set up a committee to probe all the corruption that has taken place during his tenure. The committee has submitted its report and a commission of inquiry was to be set up over it, and a file pertaining to it was in my office.” 

Kejriwal’s direct attack on Jaitley came hours after the FM had told the Rajya Sabha that the CBI raids were “not on the chief minister or on in tenure in office” thereby indicating that the CM’s tweets since morning of the CBI raiding his office were incorrect.

The CM ‘s sensational accusations came after the government and the investigating agency had stated the agency was probing corruption charges against Rajender Kumar dating back to his tenure as education secretary in 2007.

Dismissing the Central government’s claim, the chief minister asked if the files pertained to Congress CM Sheila Diskhit’s era, why had the CBI not questioned her and the then Congress education minister? “Why was the record room of the education department not raided? Why is the CBI pouring over files in the CM’s office from 8.30 in the morning?”

Senior leaders of AAP claimed that it was no coincidence that Rajender Kumar, the Principal Secretary, who was known to be close to the CM was in the dock. (He had held the same post in the 49 day AAP government as well.) "This raid is intended to be a message to bureaucrats who follow the Chief Minister's orders," said Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. In July 2014, Rajender Kumar had been caught in the cross fire between the CM and the Lt Governor over appointment of the Home Secretary.

Later in the evening, Jaitley rebutted Kejriwal's allegation saying "What he (Kejriwal) said in the morning seemed to be incorrect. What he is now (evening) saying, is absolutely rubbish."

Since his invectives on the PM had drawn criticism, a defensive Kejriwal said, "Maybe my words were bad. But your actions are bad. You apologise to the nation for your misdeeds and I will apologise for my words" and stomped off.