AAP says Kapil Mishra only parroting BJP lines

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party dismissed sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra “money laundering” allegations against chief minister Arvind Kejriwal as BJP conspiracy. “The BJP says what Kapil Mishra says, and Kapil Mishra says what BJP says,” AAP leader Sanjay Singh said in a press conference on Sunday.

Mr Singh slammed the BJP over what he called a conspiracy to derecognise the AAP. “The questions raised by Kapil Mishra, who is taking directions from the BJP, regarding the party funds are completely false and baseless. False allegations have been made against AAP MLA Shiv Charan Goel and Naresh Yadav,” Mr Singh said.

Earlier in the day, while alleging that AAP lied about its donation figures to the election commission, Mr Mishra said close aids of Mr Kejriwal are involved in running of “shell” companies which funded the AAP. He claimed that Mr Goyal is closely involved in functioning of the shell companies and wife of Mr Yadav has invested in one of the shell companies in questions.

The AAP said the two MLAs will file a defamation suit against Mr Mishra. The sacked Delhi minister had alleged that the party had over Rs 45 crore in its bank account during the financial year of 2013-2014 whereas the party in its declaration to the election commission had showed an income of around Rs 9 crore. He alleged that the Mr Kejriwal-led party concealed around Rs 36 crore from the party workers and government.

“The AAP receives 92 per cent of its donations through cheques and online money transfers. The remaining 8 per cent donations in cash get deposited in bank and the details of it are given to the income tax department. Even though the Centre gave an affidavit in the high court that there are no discrepancies in the AAP funding, allegations like these are being made to malign the AAP’s public image,” Mr Singh said.

Meanwhile, Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav demanded a probe into the allegations of Mr Mishra that the AAP engaged in “massive” financial irregularities.

Taking to Twitter, Mr Yadav also took a dig at Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and Mishra, describing the duo as a “model of guru-shishya” tradition and quipped that the latter today outdid his “guru”.

Mr Yadav targeted the two leaders after Mr Mishra fainted at a media conference on Sunday but not before he accused Kejriwal and AAP of “massive” financial irregularities. “Kapil repeats old but serious charges, needs probe,” Mr Yadav tweeted.