Conman Sukesh's 'protection money' charge sparks AAP vs BJP slugfest; Arvind Kejriwal dubs it 'fake, fabricated story'

On jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar’s letter to Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena alleging that AAP leader Satyendar Jain 'extorted' Rs 10 crore from him in 2019 to ensure his safety in prison, Delhi Chief Minister said Tuesday that the BJP is planting a fabricated story to divert attention from the Morbi bridge collapse in Gujarat. 

“Before Punjab polls, they came out with Kumar Vishwas. Now, the BJP, due to its poor condition in Gujarat, has produced Sukesh. You people are only showing that he is a conman. I heard that once he cheated somebody by posing as a CBI officer, as a law secretary, as a PMO officer… How can you believe him? The BJP is planting a fake, fictitious and fabricated story to divert attention from the Gujarat Morbi bridge collapse. This is just BJP’s tactic to divert people’s focus from the bridge collapse,” said Kejriwal. 

Meanwhile, the BJP dubbed the AAP a “maha thug” party after the conman’s claim. BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged the AAP did a thuggery with a thug. The AAP is a "maha thug" party, he alleged.

"It is learned from news that there has been a thuggery in the house of the thug. And the name of the thug is Sukesh Chandrashekhar. And the person who cheated the thug is Aam Aadmi Party leader Satyendra Jain," Patra said.

He further alleged the AAP had extorted money from the conman and it showed that the party was "hardcore corrupt".

Other than the “protection money” charge, the latter claimed 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 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.

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.