Updated
New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI): Hitting back at Arvind Kejriwal over the DDCA row, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley today accused him of spreading "false propaganda", saying he seems to believe in untruth and defamation and delivers a language that borders on hysteria.
Jaitley also attacked West Bengal and Bihar chief ministers Mamata Banerjee and Nitish Kumar for supporting Kejriwal, saying "they need to redeem themselves" by publicly distancing from the Delhi chief minister's vocabulary.
The Finance Minister said by referring to some facts of 2014 and 2015, Kejriwal cannot drag him in the Delhi cricket body case as he left cricket administration in 2013.
Attacking Kejriwal for the language used by him against Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the wake of CBI searches on an officer in his secretariat, he said a state or UT by its "unacceptable conduct" can also be a threat to federalism.
"Free speech is unquestionably a pre-eminent fundamental right, but does free speech include the right to speak only falsehood? The Delhi Chief Minister, Mr Arvind Kejriwal, seems to believe in untruth and defamation, delivered in a language that borders on hysteria," he said on his facebook blog entitled "Falsehood as free speech".
He said Kejriwal alleged that the search on an officer close to him is a violation to the federal structure of Constitution and has used some "unacceptable adjectives" against the Prime Minister.
Jaitley said Kejriwal has questioned the purpose of the search and tried to divert attention by linking it to the Delhi cricket body rather than alleged corruption.
"Federalism is not a one way stream. It is not always that the Union Government challenges the spirit of federalism. A State or a Union Territory, by its unacceptable conduct, can also be a threat to federalism," he said on his blog.
Jaitley added that the DDCA case "is a part of propaganda technique to deflect attention when you yourself are in the dock" and accused Kejriwal of focussing attention on him after he acted as a shield to cover an officer under investigation.
"I have left cricket administration in 2013. By referring to some facts of 2014 and 2015, he can’t drag me in," he said, terming allegations against him as unsubstantiated and non-specific.
The Finance Minister said the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), which was entrusted with the investigations in the case by the previous UPA government, has clearly stated that "no fraud (was) noticed as alleged" and his role as DDCA President was "like a non-executive chairman without involvement in day-to-day affairs of the company".
Jaitley said there can be no greater threat to federalism if state governments start investigating decisions of Union Cabinet and cited Delhi government's act of registering an FIR against two Union Cabinet Ministers of the UPA government for voluntarily implementing a decision of the Cabinet, even without any police or investigative powers.
"Delhi is a Union Territory with no police powers," he said, adding that the Delhi government's act was condemned by him in February 2013 as Leader of Opposition.
Objecting to the use of language by Kejriwal, the Finance Minister said, the adjectives used by him against the Prime Minister are "not in consonance with the deferal spirit".
"When two chief ministers, Mamata Banerjee ji and Nitish Kumar babu supported Kejriwal, notwithstanding the use of highly objectionable words against the Prime Minister, can it be in consonance with the federal spirit? The two Chief Ministers need to redeem themselves by publicly distancing themselves from Mr Kejriwal’s vocabulary," he asked.
With the heat and dust of the CBI search on an IAS officer's room having settled now, Jaitley questioned why two chief ministers are lending their support to Kejriwal's "blatant falsehood".
"Notwithstanding that, an actually false propaganda is being repeated continuously. Why should the Chief Minister place himself as a shield in front of an official who is facing investigation? Why should two eminent Chief Ministers lend themselves to support the blatant falsehood of Delhi’s Chief Minister?," he asked.
The Finance Minister also attacked Congress for supporting Kejriwal, saying its own leaders are in the dock for corruption.
"The Congress transiently joined Mr Kejriwal's company for the reason that its own leaders are in the dock for more than one reason," he said.
About the allegations against him, Jaitley said they are "fake" and asserted that "no personal allegation was ever made against me nor did I ever feel the need of contradicting it".
"There are fake allegations such as escalation of cost of construction of a stadium. When work expands, cost escalations are integral," he said.
Jaitley said a brand new 42,000 capacity world class stadium was constructed by the Engineering Projects India Limited (EPIL), a public sector body at a total cost of around Rs 114 crores.
He also cited the renovation of two other stadiums in Delhi during the UPA Government. While Jawahar Lal Nehru stadium renovated at a cost of over Rs 900 crore and Dhyan Chand stadium renovated at a cost of over Rs 600 crore.
Jaitley said even though he is not concerned with cricket administration since 2013, a Member of Parliament has been writing to various governmental bodies with regard to Delhi’s cricket affairs and previous UPA government seized upon the opportunity and referred complaints to SFIO which investigated them and submitted a detailed report on March 21, 2013.
"The Report concluded in relation to the DDCA being registered under the Companies Act, that 'thus, in a nutshell, there are certain irregularities / non-compliance or technical violations, but no fraud (was) noticed as alleged'."
He said these technical and procedural violations were all compoundable and were compounded by members against whom they were alleged.
"The SFIO, under the UPA regime, investigated and could not find a shred of evidence against me," he claimed.
On Jaitley's role, the SFIO report said, he is President of DDCA and is "presiding over the meetings of Executive Committee (Board of Directors) like a non-executive chairman without involvement in day to day affairs of the company".
Detailing the generation of funds for Delhi stadium's renovation, Jaitley said he had mopped up Rs 35 crore by selling various spaces in the stadium including boxes to corporate houses.
He said while 43 corporate boxes, with 30 seats each, were sold at Rs one lakh per seat, generating Rs 12 to 13 crore and various other advertisement spaces around the stadium.
Of the total expenditure on the stadium, he said, the initial structure contract was given on bidding to EPIL, a PSU unit, which further hired other contractors.
Jaitley said Kejriwal has no jurisdiction to investigate the DDCA, a company registered under Government of India and had even no jurisdiction in ordering a Commission of Inquiry against the previous Sheila Dikshit government as the power vests with the Central government.
Earlier Report
AAP calls Jaitley corrupt, asks Modi to sack him
New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI): Keeping up the attack on Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, AAP today alleged huge financial bunglings in DDCA during his 13 year-old tenure as its chief, saying large amounts were siphoned off through fake companies besides other irregularies including in team selection.
At a press conference here, the AAP leaders, quoting from reports of Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), DDCA's internal probe committee and a Delhi Government-appointed inquiry panel, accused Jaitley of giving "direct and indirect" consent to "massive corruption" in the cricket body.
Jaitley had yesterday rubbished the allegations and said he will not respond to vague charges. "The bunglings had happened under direct or indirect consent of Arun Jaitley during his tenure as DDCA chief. Prime Minister Narendra Modi must ask Jaitley to resign to ensure fair probe as some of the competent agencies to invstigate the are under Finance Ministry," said AAP Spokesperson Raghav Chadha, flanked by a number of other leaders.
Citing instances of such "frauds", he alleged an additional expenditure of Rs 90 crore was incurred in renovation of the Feroz Shah Kotla stadium against sanctioned budget of Rs 24 crore and that fake companies were set up by DDCA office bearers to siphon off money through roundtripping.
"Payments were made to five companies whose registered addresses were same and were headed by same director. There was duplication of funds and fictitious companies were paid for work they never did," alleged Chadha. Calling the irregularities a "Commonwealth Scam of Cricket", they said BJP MP and former cricketer Kirti Azad had been seeking investigation into the serious allegations and a number of inquiry commitees have found gross misappropriation of funds in DDCA.
The AAP leaders repeated their allegations that Jaitley was behind the CBI raid at Delhi Secretariat on Monday as well as "take over" of Delhi ACB from Delhi Government by the Centre to scuttle probe into DDCA affairs.
"The DDCA was a den of corruption under Jaitley," said Chadha. Asked why they have come out with the reports of SFIO and DDCA's internal committee which were already in public domain, AAP leader Sanjay Singh said the Delhi government was committed to investigate the irregularities unlike past dispensations which "sat over them".
"The CBI had come looking for few incriminating documents that are not yet in public domain. The raids were carried out in an attempt to intimidate the Delhi Government," he alleged.
AAP said the statutory auditor of DDCA has been facing prosecution for fudging accounts and that a statement to this effect was made by MoS in Finance Ministry Jayant Sinha in Parliament.
To Jaitley's comment that he would only respond to specific charges, Singh said now the Finance Minister should not only answer to the allegations but also should resign from the post. "Jaitley is not only answerable to us. But he is answerable to his own party members."
The AAP leaders said acting on a communication dated July 27 from Union Sports Ministry, the Delhi government initiated a probe into irregularities in DDCA.
"A three-member committee was formed for the purpose headed by senior IAS officer Chetan Sanghi. The committee on November 17 gave a report to the Chief Minister highlighting glaring irregularities in DDCA and recommended setting up of a Commission of Enquiry to thoroughly probe the matter," said Chadha.
Ashutosh claimed that Sanghi was threatened of dire consequences by a joint secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs. The party said 22 days after Sanghi filed the report, on December 9, the ACB registered a case of corruption against him in connection with some of his decisions during the Sheila Dikshit Government.
The AAP leaders quoted a DDCA internal fact-finding committee report which they said "the magnitude and extent of improprieties, irregularities and misconduct committed by various officials were of gigantic proportions".
They alleged that 10 newly constructed corporate boxes at Feroz Shah Kotla were given out on lease to companies without following laid down rules during Jaitley' tenure.
"There were instances of proxy litigations to mint money. Lawyers who used to appear against DDCA were paid by the cricket body itself," said Chadha.
They alleged that Jaitley had turned DDCA into "an exclusive club of elites and had institutionalised corruption. Only wards of political leaders and the rich can hope to play for Delhi due to nepotism."
AAP said forged age cerificates were used to fudge to let certain players get selected despite exceeding age limit and quoted FIR into large number of such cases which the Delhi Police did not pursue.
"Selection of selectors and players for across age groups were as per Jaitley's choice," said Singh adding the party will come out with "part two of the revealation soon". Kumar Vishwas said the party had "overheard" that there was a big agenda against it lined up for Friday.