‘This is done because Punjab election is coming up’: AAP leader Satyendar Jain cries foul after arrest | India News
NEW DELHI: AAP leader and former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain on Wednesday linked his arrest by the Delhi government’s anti-corruption branch (ACB) to the upcoming Punjab assembly elections.The arrest of the Kejriwal loyalist came a day earlier in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board‘s (DJB) tendering process.“This is being done because of the Punjab elections,” Jain was quoted as saying by news agency ANI after a court hearing in the case.Before the hearing in the alleged DJB scam case began, senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for Jain, said, “Supreme Court guidelines have been violated. The grounds of arrest are missing.”Meanwhile former Delhi chief minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal has also questioned the arrest of his party colleague Satyendar Jain by the Delhi Police.Taking to X, party boss Kejriwal wrote: “An arrest is made when the police need to interrogate and investigate a person. The police did not take Satyendra Jain into custody.”Targeting Union home minister Amit Shah, who oversees the Delhi Police, Kejriwal added: “This means there is no need to interrogate Satyendra. He has been arrested only due to pressure from Amit Shah ji.”Meanwhile, BJP MP Swati Maliwal strongly attacked Kejriwal following Jain’s arrest, referring to alleged corruption and the liquor scandal.“Arvind Kejriwal functioned cleverly. He did not handle any ministry; he would get corruption done through ministers, and then, when a minister was exposed, he would blame the minister,” Maliwal alleged.She also alleged that AAP leader Satyendar Jain was acting as a “collection agent” for the party in Punjab. “Now, the STP scam of the DJB that has come to the fore is a very serious scam, because STPs are an important aspect of cleaning the Yamuna.
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Satyendar Jain is acting as a collection agent for AAP in Punjab,” Maliwal said.The arrests were made in connection with an FIR registered by the ACB on May 11, 2024, under provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code. The case includes charges related to bribery, criminal breach of trust, cheating and criminal conspiracy.Jain’s arrest comes a few months ahead of the Punjab assembly elections scheduled for early next year, where the AAP is in power and seeking to retain its hold on the state.
