AAP submits complaint to ED against BJP ‘buying votes’

The BJP refuted the allegations, saying that the AAP was trying to divert people’s attention from their mistakes.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has filed a complaint with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders Parvesh Verma and Manjinder Singh Sirsa, accusing them of orchestrating a “vote-buying” operation by allegedly cash to people ahead of Delhi Assembly elections, party leaders said on Thursday.

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh submitted the complaint, urging ED to launch an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in what he said was a “cash-for-vote scam”. (Sanchit Khanna/HT PHOTO)

Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh submitted the complaint, urging ED to launch an investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in what he said was a “cash-for-vote scam”.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) refuted the allegations, saying that the AAP was trying to divert people’s attention from their mistakes.

Addressing a press conference after submitting the complaint at the ED office, Singh alleged that crores of rupees in unaccounted cash are lying at Verma’s residence and are allegedly being used to bribe voters. The same has been captured on video, he alleged.

“A massive vote-buying operation is taking place in Delhi right under the noses of key agencies. In Arvind Kejriwal’s constituency, voters are being bribed with ₹1,100. Moreover, crores of rupees could potentially be recovered from the residence of former BJP MP Parvesh Verma if ED were to conduct a raid. This is illicit money being openly distributed to buy votes. Photos and videos of women receiving ₹1,100, with a card bearing the Prime Minister’s photo have been captured by journalists,” Singh said.

Singh also alleged that Verma and other BJP members “fabricated false and misleading documents to deceive the public in the name of a government scheme”.

The cash distribution allegations were first flagged by the AAP a day ago on Wednesday, in which the party said that Verma was “openly distributing cash” to voters in the New Delhi assembly segment from his residence at 20, Windsor Place, Lutyens Delhi. Rebutting the claims, Verma said the act was of providing monetary aid to destitute women registered with NGO Rashtriya Swabhiman Sansthan that was started by his father, former Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma, 25 years ago.

Singh, however, questioned the timing of the aid.

“NGO funds are being distributed with the Prime Minister’s photo on them. During Verma’s 10 years as an MP, he never distributed NGO money. Why is it being distributed now ahead of elections? The crores of rupees in illicit funds they have are being used to distribute cash. This is a direct case of money laundering,” Singh alleged.

He further criticised investigative agencies, including ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation, and income tax department, for their alleged inaction against the BJP leaders while targeting Opposition parties.

Singh added that despite informing beforehand, no officer met the AAP leaders at the ED office. He further said that the AAP will also take the complaint to CBI, IT department and the Election Commission of India.

Delhi BJP spokesperson Praveen Shankar Kapoor, meanwhile, said that Singh was “making a fuss over non-issues to divert the focus from the AAP’s “dirty politics”.

“The BJP stands by women empowerment and support the needy women and our governments in most states are supporting the women through stipend schemes. Sanjay Singh’s problem is that his party stands exposed for asking women to register at their party level for a non-existent government scheme and so, like his party colleagues, he too is trying to mislead the women of Delhi,” said Kapoor.