Jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar has caused the latest round of face-off between the BJP and the AAP. Chandrashekhar has written to the Delhi Lt Governor alleging that AAP leader Satyendar Jain “extorted” Rs 10 crore from him in 2019 to ensure his safety in prison. The BJP lost no time to attack AAP calling it a “maha thug” party which even “extorted an extortionist”.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal rubbished the allegation saying it was an attempt to divert attention from the Morbi bridge collapse incident in Gujarat.
Chandrashekhar, who is lodged in Mandoli jail in connection with the Rs 200-crore money laundering case, submitted a letter to LG Saxena on October 8 through his advocate Ashok K Singh, making the startling allegations against the AAP.
In the letter, Chandrashekhar has alleged that he has been receiving threats and was under pressure from Minister Jain and Sandeep Goel, the Director General of Prison, Delhi. Chandrashekhar said that he had known the AAP leader since 2015.
The letter alleged that more than Rs 50 crore was given to the AAP on a promise of giving Chandrashekhar an important post in the party in South zone, and also help him in getting nominated to the Rajya Sabha.
According to the LG office sources, the letter from Chandrashekhar was forwarded to the Chief Secretary of the Delhi Government for necessary action on October 18.
Chandrashekhar also alleged that he was visited by Jain in Tihar jail, where he was lodged after his arrest in 2017 in the “two leaf symbol corruption case”. Jain, who held the portfolio of the Jail Ministry, asked him if he had disclosed anything to the probe agency related to his contribution to the AAP, he alleged.
The Tihar Jail is run by the Department of Delhi Prisons, Government of Delhi.
“Thereafter in 2019 again I was visited by Jain and his secretary and his close friend Sushil in jail, asking me to pay Rs 2 crore every month to him as protection money to live safely in jail, and to get even basic facilities,” he alleged.
“Jain asked me to pay Rs 1.50 crore to DG prison Sandeep Goel, who, he said, was a loyal associate of his. He forced me to pay and an amount of Rs 10 crore was extorted from me through constant pressure in a matter of two-three months,” he alleged in the letter. He also alleged that the amounts were collected in Kolkata through Jain’s associates.
“Hence a total amount of Rs 10 crore was paid to Jain, and Rs 12.50 crore to DG prison Sandeep Goel,” Sukesh alleged and added that he has already given this information to the Enforcement Directorate.
Kejriwal said the BJP is planting a fabricated story to divert attention from the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat. “Morbi tragedy occurred the day before yesterday. All TV channels raised this issue yesterday but it disappeared today and Sukesh Chandrashekhar’s allegations appeared. Doesn’t this look like a completely fictitious story planted to divert attention from Morbi?” Kejriwal said at a press conference. “What can be more blatant than this? Nearly 150 people have died but all channels are discussing a conman,” he said.
Minutes later, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra held a press conference saying the AAP did a thuggery with a thug and termed the AAP a “maha thug” party.
“It is learned from news that there has been a thuggery in the house of a thug. And the name of the thug is Sukesh Chandrashekhar. And the person who cheated the thug is Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendar Jain,” Patra said.