Delhi Polls: AAP requests CJI to order SIT probe into funding of political parties

NEW DELHI: AAP has requested the Chief Justice of India to institute an inquiry by a Supreme Court monitored Special Investigation Team into the “funding of all political parties, particularly BJP, Congress and AAP. The move coincided with the AAP Volunteers Action Manch (AVAM) making more accusations against AAP’s funding and BJP leaders accusing it of money laundering.

At a press conference, party chief spokesperson Yogendra Yadav and senior leader Kumar Vishwas said AAP had written to CJI regarding their demand of conducting an SCmonitored probe by SIT, or the existing SIT looking into the black money issue, of the funding of AAP, BJP and Congress “during the past five years”.

In the letter, the party demanded if wrongdoing is found in any outfit then “its recognition as a political party should be cancelled and action taken as per laws against office-bearers”.

Vishwas said: “Since the FM has discovered that hawala transactions can be done through cheques, he may do well to ask some of his BJP colleagues about how hawala works since their names have also figured in related Jain Diaries in the past. We hope Amit Shah and Sonia Gandhi agree for a SIT inquiry into political funding.”

AAP spokesperson Atishi Marlena told ET, “we are serious about it. If needed, we will place a petition in the SC for this. For now, we have written to the Chief Justice”.

AAP’s Meera Sanyal said, “We do toughest due diligence at the PAC level. Verifying bank account details, PAN account information, Registrar of Companies data, cheque payment, all of these details have been verified. What more do you expect us to do?”