As a slew of allegations worsen Delhi raids row, CBI emphatically denies all charges by AAP

New Delhi: After a volley of barbs from Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on the Modi government on the issue of CBI raids on Tuesday, the central investigating agency came out strongly on Wednesday, denying all the charges of Kejriwal. “Blatant incorrect statements spread to obstruct the investigation,” the CBI spokesperson said. [caption id=“attachment_2548290” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Agencies[/caption] Clarifying its stand on the raid conducted at Delhi secretariat, the CBI said the raid was not conducted at the CMO. Here are some of the key points the CBI made: • CM’s office (chamber) was neither searched nor sealed. • The search and seizure conducted by the CBI was in conformation of law and legal procedures. • Blatant incorrect statements spread to obstruct the investigation. • No irrelevant document or material was seized. • Didn’t prevent movement or disallowed anyone to CMO. • Only the chamber of Rajendra Kumar was searched and documents seized (laptop and documents relevant to the case). • Documents seized are related to seven-year period of Principal Secretary Rajendra Kumar. “It’s a brazen attempt to discredit the CBI,” the agency said. The CBI coming out in public for a clarification appeared surprising. But according to agency sources, the turn of events throughout Tuesday after the raid — from mere allegations to political mud-slinging — compelled it to clear the air of confusion and mistrust. Immediately after the raid, Kejriwal tweeted, “When Modi couldn’t handle me politically, he resorts to his cowardice. Modi is a coward and a psychopath." Triggering a political storm, a volley of questions (read allegations) was thrown on air from Kejriwal, deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokespersons on how the CBI could raid the CM’s office and the ‘ulterior motive of the CBI and the Centre’ behind the raid. “The CBI seized the files related to CM and the affidavits to be presented in the court,” deputy CM Manish Sisodia had said on Tuesday. “At 10 am, the CBI prevented me from entering the CMO. The entrance to the CM’s chamber was blocked. If they had to raid Rajendra Kumar’s office, they should have blocked and sealed that particular entry and not that of the CM,” said Arunoday Prakash, media advisor to Sisodia. But, surprisingly by evening, the AAP-government bowled a googly alleging that the CBI had raided the CM’s chamber to get hold of files related to Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) and Union Finance Minister and former DDCA chief Arun Jaitley. AAP spokesperson Ashutosh had tweeted, “When AAP Govt investigates DDCA, Jaitley gets nervous, CBI raids CM office to scuttle investigation.” Referring to a letter issued by Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports dated 27 July, Ashutosh said, “The central government (Sports Ministry) wrote to the Chief Secretary, Govt of NCT of Delhi requesting to take appropriate action on irregularities committed by DDCA – illegal construction of corporate boxes in the land in Delhi meant for promoting cricket and entertainment tax evasion (sic). It was a request from the central government to the Delhi government for taking appropriate action.” The AAP alleged that Modi and Jaitley conducted the raids to prevent the Delhi government from investigation into DDCA irregularities. In response to Kejriwal’s allegations on raid, Jaitley said, “I can’t answer any vague allegation by anyone without any basis. The state government and a party are on docks over corruption and interfered in investigation by making vague baseless allegations.” Speaking to Firstpost, Delhi BJP spokesperson Ashwini Upadhyay said, “Arvind Kejriwal and company resorted to theatrics to shield its corrupt ministers, MLAs and some officials. It has intentionally attacked the CBI and questioned its credibility, to give a message that they were unnecessarily harassed. It’s a clever tactic to protect the corrupt people in AAP-government. The frustration in CM shows there is something fishy. What action did Kejriwal-government take against former Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit and five tainted ministers of her cabinet involved in corruption? Everything has been done to divert the attention from its own incapability and corruption.” According to the CBI, the agency has registered a case against Rajendra Kumar, principal secretary to Delhi CM and a few others as co-accused. It was alleged in the FIR that the said senior civil servant, while working in different capacities in the Government of Delhi, favoured a private company of Delhi from 2007 onwards. The accused allegedly facilitated award of contracts worth Rs.9.50 crores (approx) to the said company through ICSIL and misused his official position as public servant.