Kejriwal in fresh trouble? L-G recommends NIA probe, cites AAP's funding from Khalistani groups

DELHI Lieutenant Governor (L-G) VK Saxena recommended a fresh investigation by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).

In a letter to the Ministry of Home Affairs, shared by news agency ANI, the principal secretary to Saxena said he had received a complaint that Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP received a "staggering amount of $16 million in funding from Khalistani groups between 2014 and 2022". He said the complaint was submitted by one Ashoo Mongia.

The principal secretary wrote, "I am directed to forward a complaint dated 01.04.2024 (in original) received from Sh. Ashoo Mongia National General Secretary (World Hindu Federation India), along with printout of posts on platform "X" (erstwhile Twitter), made by Dr. Munish Kumar Raizada, former worker of Aam Aadmi Party, referred in the enclosed letter and a pen drive as received."

What was alleged against AAP and Kejriwal?

Delhi's Lieutenant Governor said the complainant referred to a video purportedly featuring Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani terrorist and founder of banned organization Sikhs For Justice.

In the video, Pannun alleged that the AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, received “a staggering amount of $16 million in funding from Khalistani groups between 2014 and 2022".

The principal secretary said it was alleged that a clandestine meeting occurred in 2014 between Kejriwal and pro-Khalistani Sikhs at Gurudwara Richmond Hills, New York.

“During the said meeting, Kejriwal purportedly promised to facilitate the release of Devender Pal Bhullar [Davinder Pal Singh Bhullar], in return for substantial financial backing from Khalistani factions to Aam Aadmi Party," the letter from Saxena's office read. Bhullar is a former professor and convict in the 1993 Delhi bomb blast case.

The complainant also mentioned a few posts on X made by former AAP worker Munish Kumar Raizad – wherein Raizad is said to have “shared a picture of Arvind Kejriwal and Sikh leaders" from the meeting that purportedly took place at Richmond Hill Gurudwara, New York, United States of America, in 2014.

“In his tweets, he also confirmed that apart from attending public meetings, Sh. Kejriwal held a closed-door meeting, at the Richmond Hills Gurudwara, with Pro-Khalistani Sikh Leaders," the letter read.

“It has also been mentioned in the letter that Sh Kejriwal wrote to former President Sh Pranab Mukherjee seeking clemency for Bhullar…" Saxena's principal secretary said.

What Delhi L-G seeks

The letter from Saxena's office mentioned that the complainant requested a comprehensive inquiry into the allegations regarding the funding of the AAP by the extremist group ‘Justice for Sikhs’.

“Since the allegations have been made against Hon'ble Chief Minister and related to alleged funding of a political party, amounting to millions of dollars, from a terrorist organization already banned in India, the electronic evidence adduced by the complainant requires investigation including forensic examination," the principal secretary added.

Seeking an NIA probe in the matter, Saxena's office wrote, “Keeping in view the sensitivity and seriousness of the allegations levelled in the complaint, Hon'ble Lt. Governor has desired that the Ministry of Home Affairs, Govt. of India, may consider referring the matter to National Investigation Agency for conducting a comprehensive investigation into the matter."

Fresh trouble for Arvind Kejriwal?

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is already under judicial custody and lodged in Tihar jail in connection with the alleged scam in the Delhi excise policy case. He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21.

Reacting to the letter from the L-G's office, Delhi minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said the L-G "is an agent of the BJP". He alleged conspiracy against Kejriwal.

"This is another big conspiracy against CM Kejriwal by them at the behest of the BJP. The BJP is losing all seven seats in Delhi and hence is upset. The BJP had hatched this conspiracy even before the Punjab Assembly elections," he was quoted by ANI as saying.