AAP to probe 'bogus' donations, cases of ethical misconduct

NEW DELHI: Senior Aam Aadmi Party leaders Prashant Bhushan and Yogendra Yadav may have been voted out of the political affairs committee, but as a concession the party has agreed to investigate two cases of ethical misconduct, including the controversy over alleged bogus donations.

AAP was accused of accepting Rs 2 crore from shell companies as donations by rebel volunteer group AVAM. The issue became a major rallying point for opposition parties before the Delhi assembly polls with Arvind Kejriwal announcing that the party was ready for any investigation. However, the allegations tarnished the party's image. The other case of ethical violation was the allegation that liquor had been stashed in a godown owned by Uttam Nagar candidate and now MLA Naresh Balyan.

"It was decided that both cases will be taken up by the party's internal Lokpal and disciplinary committee instead of waiting for the police investigation to be completed. We had said that the law should take its course before the polls but today it was decided that we need to take corrective steps," a senior leader said.

Bhushan and Yadav had in their note to the national executive held on February 26 recommended setting up of an internal ethics committee that would inquire into both these cases. In their note, the two had said, "We now need to get to the root of these donations and find out if the PAC scrutiny mechanism failed and work out ways to avoid such an embarrassment in the future."

On the Balyan case, the note said, "To outsiders we appeared to be shielding behind 'plausible deniability' that every other party uses when faced with serious allegations. Instead of waiting for a legal verdict, we must develop an inner party mechanism."

The two had sought "systemic changes" and accountability by making the party's expenses public and greater scrutiny for future candidate.