AAP accounts under lens for foreign funding

NEW DELHI: The Centre has informed the Delhi high court that it is investigating Aam Aadmi Party’s bank accounts to verify its claim of transparency in receiving foreign funding.

Informing a division bench comprising acting Chief Justice B D Ahmed and Justice S Mridul, the Centre said while AAP has furnished a bank account number further details about transactions to and from the account have been sought from the bank.

The Centre clarified its stand on a recent petition demanding registration of a criminal case against AAP leaders alleging it received foreign funding in violation of various laws.

When HC issued notice to the Centre on the plea, standing counsel Sumeet Pushkarna told the court about steps taken till now on the issue. HC however rejected the submission of advocate M L Sharma that the bank accounts of the party, which is still receiving donations from NRIs, be confiscated.

The bench, which will now hear the matter on May 7, also said that former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP founding members including senior advocate Shanti Bhushan need not file replies to the PIL as no notices were issued to them.

Earlier, AAP had filed its reply on a similar petition saying it did not flout any law in receiving foreign funds and the party got donations worth Rs 30 crore from Indians only, out which about Rs 8.5 crore came from NRIs. “It is the only party whose all financial records and the names of each and every donor is on its website, open for public view,” the affidavit, filed by AAP national secretary Pankaj Kumar Gupta, had said and sought dismissal of the PIL.

Sharma, in his plea, had cited some names, including that of Kejriwal, and sought that “a direction be issued to register a criminal case against the respondents (AAP members) under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) and to conduct day-to-day trial proceedings under court supervision in the interest of justice.”