CBI readies to file FIRs on Arvind Kejriwal, AAP leaders

New Delhi: It’s trouble time in the Aam Aadmi Party as the CBI is preparing to file FIRs to probe the allegations against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejirwal, health minister Satyendar Jain and other AAP leaders. As a first step, the CBI will be filing three separate “preliminary enquiries” (PEs) against these leaders on the basis of the charges against them by sacked Delhi minister Kapil Sharma.

Sources in the CBI said: “The agency is considering registering three separate PEs to probe the allegations of Kapil Mishra. The PEs will be registered by the end of this week.” Subsequently, the agency will register FIRs to probe the allegations, they added. Mr Mishra had on Tuesday filed complaints with the CBI on the exchange of Rs 2 crores between Mr Jain and Mr Kejriwal, an alleged Rs 50-crore land deal arranged for the chief minister’s brother-in-law and five AAP leaders and for allegedly misusing party funds on foreign trips.

Besides, the CBI is preparing to convert its four already-registered PEs pertaining to alleged irregularities in several Delhi government contracts into regular cases. The CBI has already completed its investigation into the PE registered against deputy chief
minister Manish Sisodia to probe the alleged irregularities committed in awarding a social media campaign “Talk to AK” contract of the Delhi government to a private firm. It will soon be converted into a regular case. Besides, it may convert its previous PE registered to probe irregularities in the appointment of the city government’s “feedback unit” into a regular case. Investigations into two others PEs have also been completed, the sources said. A close aide of Mr Kejriwal and former health secretary Tarun Seem is already under the CBI scanner for alleged irregularities in hiring three private security firms for seven hospitals.

The social media campaign “Talk to AK” was an initiative of Mr Kejriwal. “The PE was registered based on a complaint filed by the vigilance department of the Delhi government. Preliminary investigations by the CBI revealed that a consultant of a well-known public relations company was hired by the Delhi government to promote the ‘Talk to AK’ (Talk to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal) campaign and a proposal of Rs 1.5 crores was prepared for this purpose despite an objection by the principal secretary”, sources said. The government went ahead with the proposal and the consultant spent the money, creating a liability for the government, they said.