BJP attacks AAP over 'advertisement scam', demands CBI inquiry

The Delhi BJP on Tuesday attacked the AAP after Lt Governor V K Saxena directed the chief secretary to recover Rs 97 crore from the ruling party for "political advertisements".

Leader of Opposition in the Delhi Assembly Ramvir Singh Bidhuri alleged an "advertisement scam" in the AAP-led city government and demanded a CBI inquiry into it.

Bidhuri also claimed that the amount to be recovered from the ruling party in Delhi would rise to Rs 400 crore.

Also watch: Pay ₹97 crore: Delhi LG to AAP for publishing 'political ads' in the guise of 'government ads'

The Arvind Kejriwal-led party has said that the Delhi Lt Governor has no power to pass orders directing the chief secretary to recover Rs 97 crore from the party for "political advertisements".

Interacting with reporters, AAP chief spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj termed the LG's direction a "new love letter".

Delhi Lt Governor Saxena has directed the chief secretary to recover Rs 97 crore from the Aam Aadmi Party for political advertisements it published in the guise of government advertisements, official sources said on Tuesday.

The Delhi government's Directorate of Information and Publicity (DIP), acting on a 2016 directive from a Committee on Content Regulation in Government Advertising set up by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, had notified that Rs 97.14 crore (Rs 97,14,69,137) had been spent or booked on account of "non-conforming advertisements", they said.

The BJP leaders welcomed the direction by the LG to recover Rs 97 crore from the AAP. They also referred to the Supreme Court guidelines issued a few years ago.

(with PTI inputs)