CBI registers preliminary enquiry into Delhi CM's home, AAP terms it vendetta

CBI has registered a preliminary enquiry into alleged irregularities in the construction of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's residence.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a preliminary enquiry to look into alleged "irregularities and misconduct" by unidentified public servants of the Delhi Government in connection with the construction of a new official residence for chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, officials said on Wednesday. The preliminary enquiry is the first step to ascertain if the allegations have prima facie material to proceed with a regular FIR.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. (PTI)

The registration of the preliminary enquiry renewed the political slugfest between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Virendra Sachdeva, the chief of BJP's Delhi unit, said that Kejriwal would have to answer who gave the order for all these constructions at the chief minister's residence.

“From the first day we have maintained that the way this bungalow was constructed by violating all rules and regulations, massive corruption has taken place,” Sachdeva told PTI.

“After this CBI investigation, Arvind Kejriwal would have to answer who gave the order for all these constructions (at CM’s residence),” he added.

The Aam Admi Party rejected the allegation of any wrongdoing and accused the BJP of "making a concerted effort to destroy AAP".

The AAP alleged that the development was part of the BJP's efforts to stop the Arvind Kejriwal-led party from working for the people.

"This is the reason why the country's best health and education ministers Satyendar Jain and Manish Sisodia were put behind bars," it alleged,

“Until now, more than 50 cases have been filed against Kejriwal and investigated. Nothing was found then and nothing will be found now. BJP may conduct as many investigations, Kejriwal will always fight for the betterment of the common person,” the party said.

There is "only one party which is AAP that seeks votes on the basis of doing good work in the fields of health and education but the BJP does not want that the poor people should have good education and excellent health facilities," it said.

Kejriwal has been occupying the official residence- at 6 Flagstaff Road in the Civil Lines area after becoming chief minister in 2015.

A senior PWD official had said, “It was not renovation and a new structure has come up in place of the old structure. His camp office is also there. The expenditure is around ₹44 crore but what is to be noted is that the old structures have been replaced with new ones.”

According to documents, the total expenditure included ₹11.30 crore on interior decoration, ₹6.02 crore on stone and marble flooring, ₹one crore on interior consultancy and ₹2.58 crore on electrical fittings and appliances.

An amount of ₹2.85 crore was spent on fire fighting system, ₹1.41 crore on wardrobe and accessories fitting and ₹1.1 crore on kitchen appliances.

A separate amount of ₹8.11 crore of the sanctioned amount of ₹9.99 crore was spent on the camp office of the chief minister at his official residence, it showed.

(With PTI inputs)