AAP govt 'misleading' people on furlough granted to Abhay Chautala: Congress

Delhi Congress chief Subhash Chopra on Monday accused the AAP government of "misleading" people by denying that it had a role in the furlough granted to Abhay Chautala, the father of JJP leader and Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala.

Ajay Chautala, lodged in the Tihar Jail here after being convicted in a corruption case, was granted furlough for two weeks on Saturday.

The development came on the day the BJP staked claim to form the government in Haryana with support of the Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), after it fell short of a majority in the Assembly elections.

"They (Delhi government) have been lying and misleading people that they had no role in granting furlough to Chautala. The jail manual says that the prison officials can grant the permission after due clearance form Delhi government's home department," Chopra told reporters here.

"This is a well thought out strategy. The same AAP government had earlier this year refused furlough to INLD supremo O P Chautala because the AAP had announced its support to INLD's rival Jannayak Janta Party (JJP) for the Jind (Assembly) bypoll," he added.

Nagender Sharma, the media advisor to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, had on Saturday said the Delhi government had no role in the decision and furlough for convicts in Tihar Jail was decided by the Director General of Prisons.

"Delhi govt stand on convict Ajay Chautala being granted furlough: It has been erroneously floating in some quarters that Delhi govt has taken this decision. It is strongly rebutted and made clear that furlough for convicts is decided by the Tihar DG," he had said.

"In the instant case, Tihar DG did not consult the Delhi govt nor was the view of the govt sought. Furlough matters are handled at the DG level and govt/Home Minister have nothing to do with it. Files related to furlough applications are not sent to the minister for approval," he added.

Sharma further said only parole applications are sent by the Tihar authorities to the Delhi government for approval.

Ajay Chautala is in jail along with his father and former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala.

In 2013, Ajay, his father and 53 others, including two IAS officers, were convicted for corruption in a teachers' recruitment scam and other charges.