During the inauguration of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal had said his party had drawn inspiration from the "10 principles of Ram Rajya" for its rule in Delhi
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and senior AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Satyendar Jain, all of whom are behind bars, have been named by the party as star campaigners for the Lok Sabha polls in Gujarat. Arvind Kejriwal's wife Sunita Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann are also among the list of 40 star campaigners, whose names have been submitted by the party to the Election Commission. Other prominent names on the list are AAP Rajya Sabha MPs Sanjay Singh, Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak. Names of Rajya Sabha MPs Harbhajan Singh and Swati Maliwal are missing from the list. Chief Minister Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21 in connection with a Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case. He is currently in judicial custody and lodged in Tihar jail. Of the 26 Lok Sabha seats in Gujarat, the AAP is contesting two -- Bharuch and Bhavnagar -- as part of the INDIA bloc, while its ally Congress is contesting the remaining 24. The A
The BJP's Delhi unit on Monday urged Lt Governor V K Saxena to order an investigation by the CBI into all projects undertaken by the Delhi Jal Board during nine years of the Arvind Kejriwal government. Chief spokesperson of the AAP Priyanka Kakkar hit back at the BJP claiming that its "behaviour has become tediously predictable" as it "consistently engages in negative politics". In a press conference, Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva claimed the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) has become a "hub of corruption" under the AAP government and said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should explain why in the past nine years, there has been only five million gallons per day increase in water generation in the waterworks body. The Delhi chief minister and Water Minister Atishi should explain what they did with the Rs 29,172 crore allocated to the DJB in the past nine years for water treatment alone, he said in a statement. "Delhi BJP demands that all tendered projects of the DJB between 2015 and 2024 b
A Delhi court on Monday sent BRS leader K Kavitha, arrested in connection with a corruption case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, to judicial custody till April 23. The daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao was arrested from the Tihar Jail, where she was lodged after her arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The CBI produced the accused before the court on expiry of her three-day police custody granted earlier by the judge and sought her JC. The CBI told the court that she was not required for further custodial interrogation. Advocate Nitesh Rana, representing Kavitha along with Deepak Nagar, opposed the police plea, saying the grounds were not sufficient to keep her in custody since she is no longer required for custodial interrogation. CBI officials had recently questioned Kavitha inside prison after obtaining permission from a special court. The BRS leader was questioned about the WhatsApp chats recovered from co-accused Buchi Babu
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a plea of AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan seeking anticipatory bail in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in the Waqf Board during his chairmanship. A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta is scheduled to hear the plea of Khan in which he has challenged the March 11 order of the high court, denying him the relief in the case. On March 11, disapproving repeated evasion of summonses of investigating agencies by public persons, the high court refused to grant pre-arrest bail to Khan. Noting that the Okhla MLA did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) despite six summonses, the high court had said legislators should know that disobeying the law will lead to legal consequences as all citizens are equal in the eyes of the law and an "MLA or a public figure is not above the law of the land". "This court wonders whether a person's plea of being busy with personal or official work can be a valid groun
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AAP leader and Delhi minister Gopal Rai on Saturday said the party will observe 'Samvidhan Bachao, Tanashahi Hatao Divas' across the country on the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar on April 14. The party workers will read the preamble of the Constitution and an oath to save the founding document of the country, Rai said. The minister, at a press conference at the party office here, said the BJP-led central government is attacking our democracy and constitution. To counter that, we need to be united, Rai said. "On Sunday, we will be holding a one-day programme -- Samvidhan Bachao, Tanashahi Hatao Divas -- where the AAP workers will gather at party offices in their states and take an oath to save our democracy and constitution," he said. The event will be held at the party offices in the state capitals across the country, the AAP leader said. The programme is being held on the advice of Kejriwal. In another message from the jail, Kejriwal had asked AAP MLAs and volunteers to work
Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on Saturday claimed that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was not being allowed to meet his family at mulakat jangla' in Tihar jail. Addressing a press conference, Singh said, "There is an attempt to break the morale of CM Kejriwal. His family has not been allowed in-person meetings with him. They are only allowed to meet him through the jangla. This is inhuman. Even hardcore criminals are allowed in-person meetings," the AAP leader said. The 'mulakat jangla' is an iron mesh which separates the inmate from the visitor in a room inside the jail. A visitor and an inmate can talk to each other by sitting on different sides of the mesh. There was no immediate reaction from the Tihar administration. On Friday, the jail authorities scheduled Kejriwal's meeting with his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann for April 15, saying that he can meet the AAP convener, but as a normal visitor in the 'mulakat jangla'. The chief minister met his w
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea against a high court order that has upheld his arrest in a money-laundering case stemming from the alleged excise policy scam. According to the cause list uploaded on the apex court's website, a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta will hear on April 15 Kejriwal's petition challenging the Delhi High Court's April 9 order. In a massive blow to the chief minister, the high court has upheld his arrest in the money-laundering case, saying the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was left with "little option" after he skipped repeated summonses and refused to join the investigation. The high court has dismissed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader's petition challenging his arrest by the ED and subsequent remand in the federal agency's custody. The matter pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 tha
BRS leader K Kavitha had allegedly "threatened" Aurobindo Pharma Promoter Sharath Chandra Reddy to pay Rs 25 crore to the Aam Aadmi Party for five retail zones allotted to his firm under the Delhi government's excise policy, the CBI told Special Court on Friday, while seeking her custody. Kavitha had told Reddy that in case of non-payment of money his business will be harmed in Telangana and Delhi under the Excise policy, the CBI has alleged. Reddy, who was an accused under the PMLA case probed by the Enforcement Directorate, had turned an approver in the case. He has not been charged sheeted by the CBI yet. Seeking custodial interrogation of Kavitha, the CBI told Special Judge Kaveri Baweja that it was on the "insistence and assurance" of Kavitha, daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, that Reddy participated in the liquor business in the national capital. She assured him that she had contacts in the Delhi government and that she would help him in liquor
Aam Aadmi Party workers on Friday held a protest outside Raaj Kumar Anand's Patel Nagar residence after he resigned from the Delhi cabinet and the party. "For the last four years, Anand has been working for the AAP. He had promised several development projects to those who voted for him. People of his constituency are feeling cheated," Ankush Narang, AAP worker said. Anand is an MLA from the Patel Nagar Vidhan Sabha constituency who won the 2020 Delhi Assembly Election by defeating Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) Pravesh Ratn. In a jolt to the AAP, Anand, who was holding various portfolios, including Social Welfare, in the Delhi government, on Wednesday tendered his resignation from the cabinet and also quit the AAP, alleging corruption and that Dalits were not given representation in the party. The party workers claimed that some protestors were also detailed by the police. Narang further said that Anand decided to leave the party fearing Enforcement Directorate raids. "Today sev
AAP leader Manish Sisodia, who has been arrested by the CBI and ED in connection with the alleged Delhi excise policy scam case, on Friday moved a court here seeking interim bail for poll campaigning. Special Judge for the CBI and ED, Kaveri Baweja, is likely to take up the application for hearing later in the day. The CBI as well as the ED have alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the Delhi excise policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, licence fee was waived or reduced and licences were extended without the competent authority's approval. The beneficiaries allegedly diverted "illegal" gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection, the probe agencies have alleged. The former deputy chief minister was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26, 2023, for his alleged role in the "scam". The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Sisodia in a money-laundering case stemm
The CBI on Thursday produced Bharat Rasthra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha, arrested in connection with a corruption case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, before a court here and sought her five-day police custody. The daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao was held in Tihar Jail, where she has been lodged after her arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), they said. The CBI told the court that Kavitha was not cooperating in the investigation and was evasive in her replies. Advocate Nitesh Rana, counsel for the accused, opposed the CBI's plea, terming the arrest as illegal. CBI officials had recently questioned Kavitha inside prison after obtaining permission from a special court. The BRS leader was questioned about the WhatsApp chats recovered from co-accused Buchi Babu's phone and documents related to a land deal, after which an amount of Rs 100 crore was allegedly paid to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in kickbacks to swing the excise polic
Delhi Cabinet minister Atishi Friday alleged that a big political conspiracy is being hatched by the BJP-led central government to impose President's Rule in the national capital. At a press conference, Atishi claimed that in the last few months, many events have happened that indicate this possibility. "Arvind Kejriwal's arrest is a political conspiracy to topple his government. We have learnt from reliable sources that in the coming days, the President's Rule will be imposed in Delhi. But imposing President's Rule in Delhi will be illegal and against the mandate of people," she said. The minister said that in the last few months, no senior IAS officer has been posted in Delhi. "Posts are lying vacant in departments but no postings have taken place. Bureaucrats have stopped attending meetings called by ministers, citing the Model Code of Conduct. The lieutenant governor has been writing letters to the MHA over the functioning of the Delhi government," she charged.
The order stated that the charges against Bibhav Kumar are grave in nature, including charge of assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty
The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday moved a Delhi court seeking arrest warrant against AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in appointments in the Delhi Waqf Board. Special Judge for CBI and ED, Rakesh Syal, posted the matter for April 18 after the ED sought time to file certain documents in support of the application. "Fresh application for issuance of open ended non-bailable warrant against Amanatullah Khan has been received from the Bail and Filing Section. It be checked and registered as per rules SPP (special public prosecutor) for ED seeks some time to file certain documents in support of the application. Heard. As requested, put up for consideration on April 18, 2024," the judge said. Khan, the Okhla MLA of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), was not named as an accused in a recent chargesheet filed by the ED. The ED, however, moved a magisterial court recently seeking prosecution of Khan for allegedly evading agency's summons in
Raaj Kumar Anand says he quit the posts as he did not want to associate his name with 'corruption'
The Supreme Court has said that it will not hear Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's case today, and no development in the case will be possible before Monday
The AAP on Wednesday announced it will observe 'Samvidhan Bachao, Tanashahi Hatao Divas' on the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar, the architect of the Constitution, on April 14 on the advice of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. In another message from jail, Kejriwal has asked AAP MLAs and volunteers to work to ensure that the people of Delhi face no problems, party leader Gopal Rai told reporters. Sunita Kejriwal, the chief minister's wife, met him in Tihar jail on Tuesday and relayed his message at a party meeting that was attended by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and others, Rai said. In his message, Kejriwal said the AAP is prepared to face any torture of the "dictatorship" in the country. According to Rai, the chief minister said all AAP leaders and volunteers across the country should pledge to oppose the "dictatorship" and save the Constitution on Ambedkar's birth anniversary on April 14.
Delhi BJP workers staged a protest near the AAP headquarters on DDU Marg here on Wednesday, demanding resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the alleged excise scam. Kejriwal's plea against his arrest and remand in a money laundering case linked to the now scrapped excise policy of his government, was rejected by the Delhi High Court on Tuesday. The BJP has stepped up pressure on the Delhi chief minister, asking him to resign in the wake of the high court order. Kejriwal has approached the Supreme Court challenging the high court order.