Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has broken his silence on the allegations surrounding the renovation of his residence. He raised a question regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's resignation if the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) fails to uncover any wrongdoing in its investigation.
Kejriwal's comments came in response to the Union Home Ministry's decision to order a CBI inquiry into allegations made by the BJP that the Delhi government spent Rs 45 crore on the renovation of his residence. The probe agency subsequently initiated a preliminary inquiry into the alleged irregularities.
The Delhi Chief Minister expressed his approval of the CBI investigation, confident that it will yield no incriminating evidence. He asserted that this is not the first time he has been subjected to investigations, emphasizing that he will not yield to baseless inquiries.
Kejriwal alleged that the Centre's decision to launch a CBI probe indicates Prime Minister Narendra Modi's apprehension. He remarked, "This shows that the Prime Minister is nervous. This is not the first inquiry (against me). They have already initiated more than 50 inquiries. Sometimes they'll say there was corruption in the liquor policy, other times it's the buses, the schools, and the roads. They have registered more than 33 cases against me. They have been investigating for the last eight years since I became the Chief Minister of Delhi, but nothing has been found. They have started this new inquiry. I welcome this too, as nothing will be found."
The BJP's allegations against Arvind Kejriwal initially emerged in April, with the party's Delhi president, Virendra Sachdeva, claiming that Rs 45 crore was spent on the "beautification" of Kejriwal's bungalow during the Covid-19 pandemic. Subsequently, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena instructed the Chief Secretary to compile a report on the matter and secure all records related to the alleged irregularities.
The Chief Secretary's report indicated prima facie irregularities in the renovation and highlighted deviations and violations committed by the Public Works Department under the Delhi government. Based on this report, Saxena wrote to the CBI in May, urging an investigation. On Wednesday, the CBI instructed the Public Works Department to provide all documents related to the alleged irregularities by October 3.
