Khaleej Times

Mishra accuses AAP leaders of hiding Rs360M from EC

- IANS

new delhi — Suspended AAP leader Kapil Mishra on Sunday accused AAP of lying to the Election Commission (EC) about donations and laundering money through shell companies, before he fainted midway through the presser and was hospitalis­ed.

The AAP dismissed the charges as a “conspiracy” by the BJP and said the latter was shooting from the sacked minister’s shoulder.

Mishra alleged the AAP had over Rs450 million in its account in 2013-2014, but in its declaratio­n to the poll panel it showed only Rs90 million thereby concealing around Rs360 million. “Three years later, when the EC sent a notice to the party asking for details of the declared Rs90 million, the party clarified they had Rs300 million,” Mishra said at a press conference held at his official residence here.

“Out of this Rs300 million, the party did not reveal the details of Rs150 million to the EC.”

He alleged that during 2014-15, the party had around Rs650 million in its account but disclosed only Rs320 million whereas the fund details on AAP website showed Rs270 million. “I have all the documents pertaining to the

I have all the documents pertaining to the (Aam Aadmi) party’s financial transactio­ns which include 461 bogus entries in their account books

Kapil Mishra, AAP MLA

party’s financial transactio­ns which include 461 bogus entries in their account books,” Mishra alleged.

The AAP categorica­lly denied the allegation­s and said it had followed rules in maintainin­g its books. “It is a conspiracy to de-recognise and deregister the AAP and the BJP is totally involved. What Kapil Mishra says, the BJP repeats it. What the BJP says, Kapil Mishra repeats,” AAP leader Sanjay Singh said. He said the central government and the BJP were out to crush the AAP and defame Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. “I ask BJP leaders to stop shooting from Mishra’s shoulder.”

Mishra said since 2013, the AAP has been converting its black money into white through foreign trips of its senior leaders — Durgesh Pathak, Ashish Khetan, Satyendar Jain, and Raghav Chaddha.

It is a conspiracy to de-recognise and deregister the AAP and the BJP is totally involved. What Mishra says, the BJP repeats it. What the BJP says, Mishra repeats

Sanjay Singh, AAP leader

He said these trips were funded through black money. Mishra, who was first sacked as Delhi Water minister on May 6 and later suspended from the party membership, began his indefinite protest fast on Wednesday, questionin­g who funded these foreign visits.

Earlier, he claimed to have seen Kejriwal accept Rs20 million in cash from Health Minister Satyendar Jain. He said the AAP used hawala route to get black money through shell companies, whose directors are connected to its leaders.

“Most of the black money was routed through Krishna Nagar branch of Axis bank... Today, people have come to know why Kejriwal was so opposed to demonetisa­tion as he was involved in black money transactio­ns,” Mishra said.

The sacked minister said he would go to the Central Bureau of Investigat­ion on Monday and submit all documents pertaining to party funding with the agency. “I will go to the CBI with the evidence. After all this is investigat­ed, he (Kejriwal) will go to jail,” Mishra said.

As he brandished some cheques before reporters, Mishra fainted and was taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here. His condition was stated to be “stable”.

Countering Mishra, AAP leader Sanjay Singh questioned the authentici­ty of the “fake cheques”.

“Anyone can do this. Even I can make such cheque for Rs700 million in BJP’s name,” he said.

Sanjay Singh said the BJP and the Congress never made declaratio­ns of about 70-80 per cent of their donations totalling “Rs 1,000 crore in the last 10 years... received from unknown sources”.

“You (the BJP) are the same party whose (then) national president (Bangaru Laxman) was caught on camera while accepting bribe in a defence deal. You readmitted (former Karnataka Chief Minister) Yeddyurapp­a after sacking him on corruption charges. Despite 54 deaths in the (Madhya Pradesh) Vyapam scam, the BJP is silent,” he said. —

 ?? PTI ?? Kapil Mishra, who fainted during the press conference, being taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi on Sunday. —
PTI Kapil Mishra, who fainted during the press conference, being taken to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in New Delhi on Sunday. —

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