New Delhi: In a clear U-turn, the Centre on Wednesday told the Delhi High Court that nothing objectionable was detected in the foreign funding of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
In the run up to the Delhi Assembly elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Congress had tried to corner AAP over the funding after some so-called former workers of the latter had alleged that it of irregularities and indulging in money-laundering. However, both the BJP and Congress will cut a sorry figure after the Centre gave a clean chit to AAP over foreign funding. The BJP put forth questions to AAP and published advertisements in newspapers on funding.
The Central government told the Delhi High Court on Wednesday that AAP's foreign funds were investigated and nothing was found in violation of the law.
The High Court's division bench had asked the Home Ministry to submit its up-to-date report in a sealed cover by 4pm on Wednesday. The bench reserved the order on the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) that sought a CBI probe into foreign funds the AAP received in the past and now in violation of law.
The PIL was filed by advocate ML Sharma against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and others in AAP saying that the party has been receiving foreign funds in violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA).
Earlier, the BJP and Congress had sought to corner the AAP over the alleged dubious donations and demanded a probe into it. Power Minister Piyush Goyal and Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had said the companies from which AAP was receiving donations from were questionable and asked the Election Commission to look into the matter.
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi had demanded an indepth investigation into the alleged dubious donations to AAP.
Goyal had said the findings of AAP Volunteer Action Manch (AVAM) were really shocking. He had alleged that four fake companies had provided funds to AAP at midnight. There was no profit of the company and they were not biding by the rules under Companies Rules and Act, he had said.
Sitharaman had alleged that shell companies were created to transfer money to AAP. These companies were not permitted to donate because they had not made any profit and the set of directors of 31 companies were the same.
When they received four cheques on their website, the fund collected was showing only Rs 55 lakh while AAP had received Rs 2 crore, she said.
Shazia Ilmi, former AAP leader who joined BJP just before elections, also launched a personal attack on Kejriwal and alleged he was not practicing what he was preaching. She even vouched for AVAM members who revealed the funding details saying she had seen them working in AAP office and also campaigning for Kejriwal in Varanasi during 2013 Lok Sabha elections.
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