Arvind Kumar Singh, the commercial head and production controller of a news channel, has been arrested for his alleged involvement in the transfer of Rs 17 crore through hawala channels to a company handling the Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) publicity campaign during the Goa elections, according to sources.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) discovered WhatsApp chats and records of hawala operators, indicating Singh's alleged role in the transfers between June 2021 and January 2022 to Chariot Media, responsible for the AAP's outdoor advertisement campaign during the Goa Assembly polls held on February 14, 2022.
The arrest is linked to allegations of irregularities in the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which allegedly favored certain liquor traders who were accused of paying bribes. The AAP vehemently denies these charges, and the excise policy was subsequently revoked.
The CBI spokesperson stated that the investigation revealed irregularities such as modifications in the excise policy, undue favors to licensees, waivers or reductions in license fees, and extensions of L-1 licenses without approval. The spokesperson also mentioned the alleged diversion of illegal gains to public servants through false entries in private parties' financial records.
According to the reports by Indian Express, the Delhi Government has issued a show cause notice to Secretary (services) Ashish More. More had been directed to submit a file concerning his transfer from the post of secretary (services), but he became unresponsive after failing to comply with the instructions from Services Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj. The notice, dated May 13, requires More to provide an explanation for his "unauthorized absence."
Meanwhile, Pawan Sehrawat, a municipal councillor from Bawana, has returned to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) after rebelling and briefly joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) just hours before the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) mayoral elections were scheduled to take place.
Sehrawat rejoined the party in the presence of AAP MLA and MCD in-charge Durgesh Pathak. Prior to his departure, Sehrawat, who was elected on an AAP ticket from Ward 30 Bawana, had accused AAP leaders of engaging in corruption and expressed a sense of "suffocation."
