DDCA row: BJP demands apology from Kejriwal; AAP hits back

The Delhi and District Cricket Association row intensified on Sunday with the Bharatiya Janata Party demanding a public apology from Arvind Kejriwal for levelling allegations of irregularities against Arun Jaitley and the Aam Aadmi Party hitting back accusing the Finance Minister of “running away” from a probe.

Referring to the report of the probe ordered by the Delhi government into affairs of the Delhi and District Cricket Association, BJP spokesperson M J Akbar told reporters that it does name Jaitley.

“The truth is out. The report does not name Jaitley. There is no allegation against him, there is no indication (of wrong doing). The Delhi chief minister, we believe, should apologise to Jaitley for his allegations...he should publicly apologise.

“He should also admit his fault in the court (where Jaitley has filed a civil defamation suit against the CM and other AAP members),” he told a press conference.

He claimed that after a “conspiracy” by the then Congress government, the Serious Frauds Investigation Office had made an enquiry and found nothing against Jaitley, a former DDCA chief, “though it was a Congress government.”

But the ruling AAP in the city hit back saying, “If BJP is so confident that he is clean then why is running away from investigation. They should take it to a logical conclusion. Why is Jaitley running away from enquiry and investigation.”

AAP leader Ashutosh said even the PM has said Jaitley should follow example of L K Advani, who stepped down in the wake of hawala allegations, till he comes out clean.

“He should come forward and present an example before the nation. Earlier they rubbished the committee report, but now they are considering it as a sacred book.

“The report also states that there should be a Commission of Inquiry into the matter. A whistleblower had alerted the Delhi government well in advance that the formation of the Commission will be scuttled through the Lt Governor,” he claimed.

Delhi Chief Minister Kejriwal tweeted saying it is “interesting to see how some media houses are desperately trying to prove Jaitley ji innocent. Why is Jaitley ji afraid of facing enquiry? That’s the difference between BJP and AAP. AAP takes strong and swift action on credible evidence. BJP defends corruption and runs away from investigations.”

The Delhi government inquiry report on the affairs of DDCA does not mention the name of Jaitley who has been under opposition attack over alleged irregularities during his tenure as its chief for 13 years till 2013.

The 237-page report by a three-member committee headed by Principal Secretary in Vigilance Department Chetan Sanghi has said that considering the “large number of allegations against DDCA”, the cricket body should be immediately suspended by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.

Without any mention of Jaitley anywhere in the report, the committee made host of observations about alleged irregularities by DDCA which include construction of the corporate boxes without prior approval of the authorities and complaints of forgery in age-verification certificates.