ACB notice to Kejriwal over claims of BJP trying to poach AAP candidates

 

 

 

THE Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Friday served a legal notice to AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, seeking details and evidence regarding his allegations that the BJP attempted to bribe his party candidates ahead of the Delhi Assembly election results. The legal notice comes just a day before the counting of votes is scheduled to take place for the Delhi Assembly elections held on February 5. The notice, delivered at Kejriwal’s 5, Ferozeshah Road residence, has intensified the political tensions between AAP and the BJP, with the former calling it a politically motivated move. The ACB’s notice specifically refers to a post on X by Kejriwal accusing the BJP of offering bribes to 16 AAP candidates to switch sides.

 

The notice asks Kejriwal to confirm whether the tweet was made by him and provide detailed information on the alleged poaching attempts. It also seeks the names of the 16 candidates who received phone calls, the phone numbers of those who contacted them and any supporting evidence to substantiate these claims. “Provide the evidence and proof to support the claim/allegations of the offer of a bribe levelled by you and your party members on various media/social media platforms,” the ACB notice reads.

 

The notice also warns of potential legal action, asking Kejriwal to explain why those spreading such allegations should not be prosecuted for creating “panic and unrest” among the people of Delhi. Earlier, high drama unfolded as AAP strongly criticised the ACB’s action, calling it an attempt to intimidate the party ahead of the election results. AAP’s legal cell chief Sanjeev Nasiar alleged that the ACB initially had no legal notice and was sitting outside Kejriwal’s house without clarity on their purpose. “

 

They did not have any legal notice at first. After one-and-a-half hours, they served us with a notice. This drama is orchestrated by the LG office in collusion with the BJP. The officers were under pressure,” Nasiar claimed. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh backed these allegations and filed a complaint with the ACB, stating that more than 16 AAP candidates had been approached by unidentified individuals attempting to lure them away from the party. The BJP, however, dismissed AAP’s accusations, labelling them as baseless and an attempt to deflect attention from the party’s internal troubles.

 

The controversy erupted after Delhi BJP general secretary Vishnu Mittal submitted a representation to Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, urging action against AAP for allegedly spreading misinformation about poaching attempts. Following this, Saxena directed the ACB to conduct an inquiry, leading to the issuance of the notice to Kejriwal. Delhi election results today; AAP, BJP in intense battle for glory: COUNTING of votes for the Delhi Assembly polls will take place on Saturday to decide whether the AAP comes to power for a fourth term or the BJP forms a Government in the national capital after 27 years.

 

The Congress is also looking for some gains after drawing a blank in the last two elections. Several exit polls have given the BJP an edge over the AAP, which has been ruling in Delhi since 2015. The counting process will begin at 8 am with early trends likely to start coming in from initial hours. According to the Election Commission, 60.54 per cent votes were polled on Wednesday.

 

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva has claimed his party will win nearly 50 seats. The AAP has rejected the exit poll predictions, asserting it will form the Government again with its convenor Arvind Kejriwal becoming Chief Minister for the fourth time. Delhi’s Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Alice Vaz said that a total of 5,000 personnel, including counting supervisors, counting assistants, micro-observers, and supporting staff trained for the process, will be deployed on Saturday for the counting of votes. In view of the fairness of the counting process, a random selection of five VVPATs (voter verifiable paper audit trails) will be done in each assembly constituency. In a snowballing controversy, Lt Governor VK Saxena on Friday ordered an anti corruption branch (ACB) probe into allegations by AAP leaders that the BJP had attempted to poach its candidates by offering them Rs 15 crore and ministerial berth. The AAP leaders have accused the BJP of trying to create an illusion in their favour based on exit poll predictions.