Conman's claim of Rs 10 cr 'protection money' attempt to divert attention from Morbi incident: Kejriwal

The allegations that conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar paid Rs 10 crore to jailed AAP minister Satyendra Jain as “protection money” are an attempt to divert attention from the Morbi incident, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Tuesday.

“Before Punjab polls, they came out with Kumar Vishwas. Now, the BJP, due to its poor condition in Gujarat, has produced Sukesh. It is also an attempt to divert attention from the Morbi incident,” Kejriwal said in response to a question at a press conference.

In a letter addressed to Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, Chandrashekhar has claimed that he paid Rs 10 crore to the jailed minister as protection money. The suspension bridge on the Machchhu river in Gujarat’s Morbi city collapsed Sunday evening, killing 134 people, a senior police official had said.

The letter written by Chandrashekhar, who is lodged in Mandoli jail here, on October 7 was submitted to LG V K Saxena on October 8 by his advocate Ashok K Singh. Rubbishing the allegations, Delhi Chief Minister and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said it was an attempt to divert attention from the Morbi bridge collapse incident in Gujarat. The letter alleged that more than Rs 50 crore was given to the AAP for giving Chandrashekhar an important post in the party in South Zone, and also to help him get nominated to the Rajya Sabha.

Chandrashekhar alleged that after his arrest in 2017 in the ‘two leaf symbol corruption case’ he was lodged in Tihar Jail and was visited by Jain, who held the portfolio of Jail ministry, asking him if he had disclosed anything to the probe agency related to his contribution to AAP.

“Thereafter in 2019 again I was visited by Satyendar Jain and his secretary and his close friend Sushil in jail, asking me to pay Rs two crore every month to him as protection money to live safely in jail, and to get even basic facilities,” he alleged.

Jain “asked me to pay Rs 1.50 crore to DG prison Sandeep Goel, who, he said, was a loyal associate of his. He forced me to pay and an amount of Rs 10 crore was ‘extorted’ from me through constant pressure in a matter of two-three months,” he alleged.

He claimed the amounts were collected in Kolkata through Jain’s associate. “Hence a total amount of Rs 10 crore was paid to Satyendar Jain, and Rs 12.50 crore to DG prison Sandeep Goel,” the letter alleged, adding that Chandrashekhar had given this information to the ED.

There was no immediate reaction available from Goel to the allegations.

Chandrasekhar further said that he also filed a petition before the Delhi High Court seeking a CBI inquiry, and the court has issued notice and the matter is scheduled for hearing next month.

“As now Jain is lodged in Tihar, he is been threatening me through DG Prison and the jail administration, asking me to withdraw the complaint filed in the high court, and I have been severally harassed and threatened,” he alleged, urging the LG to direct the probe agencies to investigate the matter.

“The truth has to be out as I am not able to keep it inside me anymore. I am being harassed. The AAP and their so-called honest government have to be exposed and shown that ever in jail they are involved in high level corruption. I hereby undertake to tender full cooperation with complete honesty before any forum,” Chandrashekhar further said.