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Transport dept terms AAP’s claims of Delhi CM arrest ‘baseless’
Citing “reliable sources” on December 25, Kejriwal had said central agencies were instructed to “fabricate” a case against Atishi
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New Delhi
Days after Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal and chief minister Atishi alleged a “conspiracy” to arrest her and probe senior AAP leaders through a transport department investigation into the free bus rides scheme for women, officials of the transport department on Sunday dismissed the allegations, terming them “absolutely misplaced and misleading”.
The AAP, however, indicated the acknowledgment was a victory for its schemes and general public.
Assistant chief secretarytransport Prashant Goyal said the department of transport of the Delhi government wrote a letter to CM Atishi on December 26, saying that no such inquiry was contemplated by the transport department and no communication was received from the vigilance department of the Delhi government in this regard. “My attention is drawn to news reports on television and social media, wherein former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is seen alleging that an inquiry is being contemplated in the transport department implicating your goodself in a matter pertaining free bus ride for women,” the letter read.
“I would like to place on record that no such inquiry has even been contemplated by the transport department. Also, no communication has either been received from the vigilance department, GNCTD in this regard. The aforesaid claim is absolutely misplaced and misleading,” the letter said.
On December 25, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal and Delhi CM Atishi accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of “conspiring” to arrest Delhi chief minister Atishi “in the next few days in a false case related to transport department” and said it would be used as a cover for central agencies to raid senior AAP leaders. Citing “reliable sources”, Kejriwal had said central agencies were instructed to “fabricate” a case against Atishi.
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said that the administrative note sent by Delhi ACS Goyal to CM Atishi “has exposed the false claims of former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal”.
Sachdeva said Kejriwal keeps his colleagues intimidated and politically misled. “He tried to spread similar confusion regarding the investigation and possible arrest of chief minister but the department has exposed Kejriwal’s conspiracy. It is regrettable that Arvind Kejriwal, for his petty politics, first degraded the dignity of the chief minister’s office and is now dragging Atishi into controversial matters,” he said.
In a statement, AAP said: “We will continue to thwart every conspiracy of the BJP and ensure that the free bus travel scheme for women in Delhi remains intact at all costs. Moreover, we will soon ensure the ₹2,100 monthly allowance for every woman.”
