North MCD took bribes to allow illegal mall to operate: AAP

Ravindra Gupta denied the allegation and called them baseless. He said he will file a criminal defamation case against Bhardwaj if the AAP leader does not apologise.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief spokesperson and MLA Saurabh Bhardwaj on Monday alleged that BJP ruled North corporation leaders took bribes from the owners of a mall in Karol Bagh for allowing it to run even after it was sealed in 2013. Bharadwaj alleged that the North Corporation has sealed the mall again now, “after eight years”, when the traders did not pay the money again.

AAP Chief Spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj said the matter resurfaced as BJP got greedy and asked for money again.

“Delhi BJP leader and former mayor Ravindra Gupta has been accused by the traders of extortion of crores of rupees and when Gupta’s blackmailing and extortion practices got exposed, the North Corporation sealed that building this morning,” Bharadwaj claimed.

Gupta denied the allegation and called them baseless. He said he will file a criminal defamation case against Bhardwaj if the AAP leader does not apologise. “The owner of the mall wrongfully de-sealed the building and was running it illegally due to which it has been re-sealed,” he said.

But Bhardwaj said the matter resurfaced as BJP got greedy and asked for money again. “These shopkeepers held a press conference and revealed everything about this matter,” he said.

Gupta said that AAP is hand in glove with the mall owner.