New Delhi
[dropcap color=”#008040″ boxed=”yes” boxed_radius=”8px” class=”” id=””]T[/dropcap]he Aam Admi Party has come out with a sensational disclosure that in his capacity as the President of the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA), Finance Minister Arun Jaitley tried to influence a police probe into the affairs of Syndicate Bank Cricket Club bungling case. The party claimed that Jaitley’s letter to the Police commissioner conclusively proves that he was not a non-executive president of the DDCA but actively involved in its day-to-day affairs and also in covering up irregularities.
Senior AAP leader Ashutosh released two letters written by Jaitley in 2012 to the then Delhi Police Commissioner B K Gupta and then Special Commissioner Ranjit Narayan, requesting them to “fairly” deal with the matter and “close” the case.
Ashutosh said that the fact that Jaitley asked the Police chief to “close” an ongoing probe clearly showed he was interfering with the investigation to shield the culprits. “It is one thing to ask for a fair probe, but how can a man who at that point of time enjoyed the rank of Cabinet minister in his capacity as leader of the opposition could ask the police to “close” the investigation? He has no moral right to continue in office after this revelation.”
[dropcap color=”#008040″ boxed=”yes” boxed_radius=”8px” class=”” id=””]T[/dropcap]he AAP challenges Jaitley to deny that on October 27, 2011 he had written a letter to the then Police Commissioner for closure of investigation in the Indraprastha Police Station against DDCA office bearers regarding Syndicate Bank Cricket Club.
Further, on May 5, 2012, Jaitley wrote to the then Special Commissioner of Delhi Police Ranjit Narayan in a an alleged bid to put pressure on him to immediately stop questioning of suspect DDCA officials and close the case.
The AAP leader said the case involved the alleged conversion of an “institutional club” run by Syndicate Bank to a “private club” through “collusion” of DDCA officials in cahoots with certain private individuals not connected with the entity.
[dropcap color=”#008040″ boxed=”yes” boxed_radius=”8px” class=”” id=””]”C[/dropcap]an Jaitley deny that his actions amount to directly obstructing the police investigation in an ongoing case? On what basis did he conclude that the complaints were unsubstantiated and disclosed no offence?” Ashutosh asked.
In his letter to Gupta, Jaitley purportedly wrote that, “The fact act is that on 2/11/2005 the bank itself had written to one Bhola Shankar who was managing the club that the club shall henceforth be run by him and be a private club. Subsequently the Bank changed its position and Shri Bhola Shankar also agreed to hand back the club to the bank.
“The DDCA is willing to give the club back to be managed by the bank itself but nobody seems to be showing active interest from the bank’s side. However, some persons who are not employees of the bank or in any way connected with the bank or the club have been pursuing some complaints in this matter,” the letter said. Further, Jaitley asked the Police chief a to “ensure that the matter is dealt with fairly and “closed” since the DDCA has done no wrong.”
Ashutosh posed following five questions to Jaitley:
- Mr. Jaitley, is it not a fact that you misused your position as Leader of the Opposition (LoP) of Rajya Sabha to pressurize the Delhi Police?
- Being an eminent lawyer yourself, can you deny that your action amounts to directly obstructing the police investigation in an ongoing case?
- Mr. Jaitely, on what basis did you conclude that the complaints regarding Syndicate Bank were unsubstantiated and disclosed no offence?
- Given your political clout in this central government, is it fair for you to continue as a central minister, particularly when the Delhi Police directly reports to the Centre?
- Mr. Jaitley, What was your interest in attempting to derail the investigation and did you reveal your action in the next DDCA AGM?
[dropcap color=”#008040″ boxed=”yes” boxed_radius=”8px” class=”” id=””]A[/dropcap]shutosh said that the two letters “exposed” Jaitley’s repeated assertions that he was in no way connected to any wrongdoing in the Delhi and District Cricket Association, which he headed from 1999 to 2013.
Reacting to the allegations, BJP Spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao wondered as to what was wrong in Jaitley writing a letter to the police commissioner. “He was not even in power so the charge does not stick.”
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