'...raises questions': AAP's Raghav Chadha slams Centre over Gujarat conman Kiran Patel case

The AAP leader was responding to later CBI FIR against Manish Sisodia over an alleged snooping case.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre for using investigating agencies against his party and former deputy chief minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia, and suggested shifting the focus towards those who are misusing the central agencies, security forces and police in the name of the central government.

AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha in a press conference alleged the ED wants to keep Manish Sisodia in custody because it is under pressure from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), even though there is no evidence, no witnesses, and no questions against him. (PTI) (HT_PRINT)

Chadha was referring to recent arrest of Kiran Patel, who was impersonating as the additional director of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), while responding to the latest first information report (FIR) filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against Sisodia for allegedly keeping tab on opposition parties, government officials among others. The CBI has alleged Sisodia of collecting ‘political intelligence’ through the Delhi government department, a ‘Feedback Unit’ that was allegedly set up in 2015.

The Rajya Sabha MP said the ‘half chief minister of a half state’ who is not a part of police or vigilance is snooping for eight year and the investigating agencies are completely unaware. “Is this possible? And if this is possible then it raises a question on the national security,” he added.

“A normal party worker from BJP's Gujarat unit, Kiranbhai Patel, had identified himself as the additional director of the PMO and had been staying in Kashmir for last six months…He had been calling meeting of security departments, transferring IAS officers…If you (BJP) want to investigate then probe this type of snooping,” he said at a press conference.

Kiran Patel was nabbed by security officials in Srinagar on March 3 while on his third visit to the Kashmir valley. He was arrested under relevant sections of cheating and forgery for impersonating an ‘additional secretary’ in the Centre, a day after the case was registered.

Hailing from Gujarat, Patel claimed he had been tasked by the government to identify buyers for apple orchards in south Kashmir and was roaming on a ‘Z plus’ security cover. On one of his visits to Gulmarg, he also claimed the government had tasked him to look for improvement in hotel facilities in the area.