Intensifying its attack on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over his defence of Satyendar Jain, the BJP on Wednesday cited a host of details linked to the money laundering case allegedly involving the Delhi health minister and asked why the AAP chief has been “protecting” him.
Union Minister Smriti Irani noted that Kejriwal had said on Tuesday that corruption was tantamount to gaddari (betrayal) with the country and asked why the AAP national convener was giving protection to a gaddar (traitor) who had allegedly deceived the treasury and people.
Irani fired off a number of questions at Kejriwal, who has rejected the Enforcement Directorate case of money laundering against his arrested colleague as forged and politically motivated. She shared details of allegations against Jain to ask the chief minister whether they were true.
Mocking Kejriwal, she said the chief minister has given a clean chit to a “corrupt man” by assuming the role of a judge.
Naming four shell companies allegedly owned by the accused and his family members, she asked Kejriwal whether it was true that Jain laundered over Rs 16.39 crore with the help of hawala operators.
The Income Tax Department had rejected Jain's contention that the money was owned by his associates, and held that it was him to whom the “ill-gotten” money belonged, Irani said.
A division bench of the Delhi High Court in 2019 had agreed with the IT Department's findings, she noted.
Irani hit back at Kejriwal for his charge that the case was politically motivated by asking whether he believed that the court was a political party.
Jain, who holds various portfolios—including health, home and power—in the Kejriwal government, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a case of money laundering on Monday.
