Ex-city BJP chief under scanner for graft: AAP

Party says it has come across ‘intricate syndicate of corruption and financial impropriety’ involving BJP leaders
AAP senior leader Saurabh Bhardwaj  | Express
AAP senior leader Saurabh Bhardwaj | Express

NEW DELHI: AAP on Sunday claimed it has exposed an “intricate syndicate of corruption and financial impropriety being run under the patronage of BJP stalwarts.” AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said that the Lokayukta is conducting a disproportionate assets investigation against ex-Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta for amassing properties worth crore as the North MCD Mayor.

Despite being issued notices multiple times, Gupta did not declare his sources of income. Meanwhile, he rejected the allegations claiming that AAP has a habit of misleading people by making false charges.
“Despite the Lokayukta issuing notices multiple times, Adesh Gupta did not declare his source of income. The company promoted by the sons of Gupta and Jaju is under the scanner for allegedly using as it a vehicle to aid financial wrongdoings,” he said.

Bhardwaj claimed that a complaint with the Lokayukta has claimed that Gupta got the company incorporated while he was the North Delhi MCD mayor and his earnings are disproportionate to his declared sources of income.

Delhi Lokayukta Justice H C Mishra (retired) issued notices to Adesh Gupta from August 2022 to January 2023 asking him to declare his assets and sources of income, but he has not provided any information to date, he claimed.

“The L-G should write a letter to the Anti-Corruption Branch and CBI about how these properties were bought and sold. The centre should take up a detailed investigation of the case to prove whether it believes in the principle of anti-corruption or not,” he said.

Reacting to the allegations, Gupta said, “I will file a defamation case against Saurabh Bhardwaj. They have a history of making false allegations and then apologising to BJP leaders following defamation cases.”

“I respect the Lokayukta and will share all the details. Every year, I share details of my assets with the government. I am a dedicated BJP worker and have been exposing corrupt acts of AAP and they are targeting me and my family to suppress me,” he said.

AAP slaps forgery case against BJP councillor

AAP Councillor Neetu Khatana filed a case of forgery against BJP Councillor-elect Sonali Basista (Ward 143 Siddharta Nagar), said sources on Sunday. It has been alleged that Sonali lied about her education details on her election affidavit. She claimed to be a 9th pass from Arya Kanya School, Mawana (Meerut).

However, as per the complainant, the said school does not have any record of her existence as its student. According to the source, there is a huge discrepancy in the timeline of her education as declared in her nominations. She declared her age to be 42 years in the affidavit, while she claimed to have finished Class 9 in 1990, meaning she cleared the class at the age of 10.

A forgery case through the ECI has reportedly been filed in the court and the court is due to hear the matter on February 23. The court has asked Sonali to produce all her documents.

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