Six AAP MLAs detained ahead of protest outside Amit Shah, L-G’s residences

The MLAs who were detained on Sunday were Rajendra Nagar MLA Raghav Chadha, Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha, Kondli MLA Kuldeep Kumar, Kirari MLA Rituraj Govind, Kalkaji MLA Atishi and Wazirpur MLA Rajesh Gupta.

Six MLAs of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and several supporters of the party were detained by the police on Sunday while they were on their way to hold demonstrations outside the residences of Union home minister Amit Shah and Delhi’s lieutenant governor (L-G) Anil Baijal to demand a CBI probe for the alleged misappropriation of funds to the tune of Rs 2,400 crore in the north Delhi municipal corporation.

AAP MLA from Kalkaji Atishi being detained by police outside the Lieutenant Governor’s house at Civil Lines on Sunday. (HT PHOTO)

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The MLAs who were detained on Sunday were Rajendra Nagar MLA Raghav Chadha, Burari MLA Sanjeev Jha, Kondli MLA Kuldeep Kumar, Kirari MLA Rituraj Govind, Kalkaji MLA Atishi and Wazirpur MLA Rajesh Gupta.

While the AAP is in charge of the Delhi government, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rules the three municipal corporations.

The allegations regarding misappropriation of funds in the north corporation and the planned protests by the AAP leaders comes in the backdrop of mayors of the three municipal corporations and some BJP supporters staging demonstrations outside chief minister Arvind Kejriwal’s residence for the seventh straight day to demand disbursement of funds to the tune of around Rs 13,500 crore which, they claim, the city government owes to the civic agencies. The AAP has summarily dismissed the claim.

While Chadha, Jha, Kumara nd Govind were detained at police stations in their respective assembly constituencies before they could leave for the planned demonstration location outside the Union minister’s house, Atishi and several supporters were detained from a location near the lieutenant governor’s house in north Delhi.

“The way the Delhi Police under Amit Shah detained the MLAs, it becomes very clear that the home minister of our country is shielding the BJP leaders involved in Rs 2,500-crore scam of the MCD. The AAP wants to know who those leaders are. To divert the attention of people from this scam, home minister Amit Shah has deputed the MCD mayors and BJP councillors outside the residence of the chief minister. It should be probed by the CBI,” said Atishi.

A police officer, who asked not to be named, said Atishi and six to seven AAP volunteers who had reached LG house to protest were detained at Maurice Nagar police station in north Delhi and were later released.

Eish Singhal, deputy commissioner of police (New Delhi) said Rajesh Gupta, MLA from Wazirpur, who had managed to reach the home minister’s house, was detained and taken to Mandir Marg police station. He was later released, the DCP said.

On Friday, the urban development department of the Delhi government had initiated a probe into the alleged misappropriation of funds, the report of which is awaited.

“MCD’s level of corruption is clear, and can be gauged from the fact the BJP itself admits and replaces all their councillors every election, making way for another round of councillors to make money. The Delhi Police illegally detained me and three other MLAs who wanted to protest outside the residence of the home minister, quoting Section 144 of CrPC and Epidemic Act. At the same time they allowed the BJP mayors to protest outside the CM’s residence. Such sheer misuse of power must stop,” said Chadha.

The BJP, however, dismissed the allegations. Naveen Kumar, media head of Delhi BJP, said, “They are levelling baseless allegations. The government has ordered an inquiry. We want them to complete the inquiry in the next seven days and if any misappropriation of funds is found, then our mayors will resign. But if they don’t find any misappropriation, then the government should resign.”

Jai Prakash, mayor of north corporation, said: “The AAP is clearly trying to divert attention of the people. The government owes money to the corporations which are struggling to pay salaries. We have been sitting here for the past seven days and the CM is just not concerned.”