The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday conducted raids on around a dozen locations in Delhi associated with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP N D Gupta, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's personal secretary Bibhav Kumar, former Delhi Jal Board (DJB) member Shalabh Kumar and several others.
The raids are part of an ongoing investigation into a money laundering case connected to the issuance of purportedly illegal DJB contracts valued at over Rs 30 crore, as per sources.
Sources close to the matter revealed that the ED's probe is centred on the alleged irregularities in the awarding of DJB contracts for various projects.
This development comes hot on the heels of the ED filing a complaint against Chief Minister Kejriwal, who has repeatedly skipped summons related to the Delhi liquor policy case.
On February 3, a day after Kejriwal skipped the ED summons for the fifth time, a complaint was filed against him at the city’s Rouse Avenue court before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra. The matter is listed on February 7.
In response to the raids and the legal actions against AAP leaders, senior AAP leader and Delhi Minister Atishi held a Press conference on Tuesday alleging political vendetta. "For the last two years, AAP leaders are being targeted and threatened," she claimed.
"ED, in the last two years, has not been able to recover even a single rupee and has not found any concrete evidence," she said.
Atishi further accused the BJP of attempting to suppress the AAP through central agencies and asserted that the party would not be intimidated.
As per sources, the ED's investigation in Tuesday raids encompasses two separate matters involving irregularities in DJB's tendering process, stemming from an FIR filed by the CBI and the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government.
The CBI's FIR registered in July 2022, alleged "undue advantage" given to NKG Infrastructure Limited in awarding a tender for electro-magnetic flow metres. The second allegation, originating from the ACB complaint, revolves around a tender for setting up automotive bill payment collection machines in DJB offices.
Sushanta demanded Centre to start direct flight service along Agartala-Mumbai route
The state transport minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Monday met the Union Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu in Delhi and discussed a series of issues related to the development of air services from Agartala MBB Airport.
CM Dr Manik Saha discuses development railway services and infrastructure in Tripura
Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Monday met the General Manager (Construction) of North East Frontier Railway here in his chamber at the secretariat and discussed a series of issues related to the further development of railway infrastructure in the state and ease passenger movement.
State to get Rs 150 Crore for Tourism, Sushanta Meets Union Minister Shekhawat
The Central Government has sanctioned an additional ₹150 crore for the enhancement of Tripura's tourism sector, Tripura Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury announced on Monday.
CM to inaugurate 34 projects of Rs 250 Crore tomorrow
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha will inaugurate and lay the foundation stones of various projects worth Rs 250 crore, comprising 34 projects, in Unakoti district tomorrow.
JP Nadda, BL Santosh arriving in state on March 9: CM Manik Saha
Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha today announced that BJP All India National President JP Nadda and National General Secretary (Org) B.L. Santosh will be arriving on March 9 to attend the two-year celebration of the present state government at Swami Vivekananda Maidan.
Two Bihar women held with cannabis at Agartala Railway Station
Acting on a tip-off, the Government Railway Police recovered 21 kg 65 grams of dried cannabis from two women at Agartala railway station. The estimated market value of the seized contraband is said to be over three lakh rupees.
UK PM announces new 1.6-billion-pound deal for Ukraine to buy missiles
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced that Britain will allow Ukraine to use 1.6 billion pounds ($2 billion) of British export finance to purchase more than 5,000 air defence missiles.
'PM Modi working for welfare of all communities without discrimination', says Hazrat Nizamuddin Dargah Committee chief
Hazrat Nizamuddin Aulia Dargah Committee Chairman Syed Afsar Ali Nizami on Sunday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for attending the Sufi music festival 'Jahan-e-Khusro' and said that he gave the message of brotherhood and works for the welfare of all communities and religion without any discrimination.