The political landscape in Delhi has heated up once again with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of using all available agencies to restrain Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. This comes in the wake of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reportedly granting clearance for a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged financial irregularities related to the renovation of the Chief Minister’s residence.
The MHA’s decision to allow a CBI probe follows a request from Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, VK Saxena, who urged the central government to transfer the case to the CBI for a thorough investigation. This request was made amidst allegations of financial impropriety in the renovation project.
Even before the Lieutenant Governor’s letter, the BJP had raised similar concerns regarding the renovation expenses. They cited documents purportedly revealing an expenditure of ₹44.78 crore for the “addition/alteration” of the Chief Minister’s residence, surpassing the sanctioned budget of ₹43.70 crore.
In response to these developments, the AAP, led by Arvind Kejriwal, issued a strongly worded statement. They alleged that the BJP is orchestrating a “concerted effort” to undermine their party and specifically target Arvind Kejriwal. The AAP accused the BJP of employing various government agencies in their bid to restrict Kejriwal’s political influence.
The AAP emphasized that such attempts to tarnish their leader’s reputation are not new. They pointed out that more than 50 cases have been filed against Kejriwal in the past, and investigations into these allegations yielded no incriminating evidence. The party asserted that history would repeat itself, and no wrongdoing would be found in this case either.
The CBI has initiated a preliminary inquiry into the matter, as reported by agency sources cited by ANI. This preliminary inquiry is standard procedure and serves as the initial step to assess whether there is sufficient prima facie evidence to proceed with the filing of a regular FIR (First Information Report).
One aspect under scrutiny is the role of unidentified public servants within the Delhi government. The CBI aims to determine if any government officials were involved in any financial irregularities during the renovation project. The agency will investigate whether proper procedures were followed in terms of approvals, tender documents, contractor bids, building plans, and requests for premium specifications such as modular kitchens, marble flooring, and other ornamental work.
This development underscores the ongoing political tensions in Delhi and the use of central agencies in cases involving state governments. As the investigation proceeds, it will undoubtedly draw significant attention from the media and political observers, further intensifying the political landscape in the national capital.
