AAP gets recovery notice of Rs 163.62 cr for political advertisements: reports

The AAP has been issued a notice for recovery of Rs 163.62 crore for its political advertisements allegedly published in the garb of government advertisements, sources said on Wednesday.

The development comes nearly a month after Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena directed the chief secretary to recover Rs 97 crore from the AAP for political advertisements it published in the guise of government advertisements.

The recovery notice issued by the Directorate of Information and Publicity (DIP) also includes the interest on the amount and makes it mandatory for the ruling party in Delhi to pay the whole amount within 10 days, the sources said. "If the AAP convener fails to do so, all consequential legal action including attachment of the properties of the party shall be taken in time bound manner, as per the earlier order of the Delhi LG," a source said.

There was no immediate reaction from the Delhi government or the AAP.

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Subsequent to the LG's order issued last month, the DIP has served a notice to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal for recovery of Rs 163.62 crore for the political advertisements of AAP, published in the garb of government advertisements at the cost of public exchequer, the sources added.

While Rs 99,31,10,053 (Rs 99.31 crore) is on account of the principal amount incurred on political advertisements till March 31, 2017, the remaining Rs. 64,30,78,212 (Rs 64.31 crore) is on account of penal interest on this amount. The Delhi government's Directorate of Audit has also deputed a special audit team for conducting an audit of all such political advertisements after March 31, 2017, the sources said.