Kapil Mishra alleges AAP lied on donations; party says BJP using him

New Delhi: Suspended AAP leader Kapil Mishra on Sunday accused AAP of lying to the Election Commission (EC) about donations and laundering money through shell companies, before he fainted midway through the presser and was hospitalised.

The AAP dismissed the charges as a "conspiracy" by the BJP and said the latter was shooting from the sacked minister`s shoulder.

Mishra alleged that the AAP had over Rs 45 crore in its account in 2013-2014, but in its declaration to the poll panel it showed only Rs 9 crore, thereby concealing around Rs 36 crore.

"Three years later, when the EC sent a notice to the party asking for details of the declared Rs 9 crore, the party clarified they had Rs 30 crore," Mishra said at a press conference held at his official residence here.

"Out of this Rs 30 crore, the party did not reveal the details of Rs 15 crore to the EC."

He alleged that during 2014-15, the party had around Rs 65 crore in its account but disclosed only Rs 32 crore whereas the fund details on AAP website showed Rs 27 crore.

"I have all the documents pertaining to the party`s financial transactions which include 461 bogus entries in their account books," Mishra alleged.

The AAP categorically denied the allegations and said it had followed rules in maintaining its books.

"It is a conspiracy to de-recognise and de-register the AAP and the BJP is totally involved. What Kapil Mishra says, the BJP repeats it. What the BJP says, Kapil Mishra repeats," AAP leader Sanjay Singh said.

He said the central government and the BJP were out to crush the AAP and defame Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

"I ask BJP leaders to stop shooting from Mishra`s shoulder."

Mishra said since 2013, the AAP has been converting its black money into white through foreign trips of its senior leaders -- Durgesh Pathak, Ashish Khetan, Satyendar Jain, and Raghav Chaddha.

He said these trips were funded through black money.

Mishra, who was first sacked as Delhi Water Minister on May 6 and later suspended from the party membership, began his indefinite protest fast on Wednesday, questioning who funded these foreign visits.

Earlier, he claimed to have seen Kejriwal accept Rs 2 crore in cash from Health Minister Satyendar Jain.

He said the AAP used hawala route to get black money through shell companies, whose directors are connected to its leaders.

"Most of the black money was routed through Krishna Nagar branch of Axis bank... Today, people have come to know why Kejriwal was so opposed to demonetisation as he was involved in black money transactions," Mishra said.

The sacked Minister said he would go to the Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday and submit all documents pertaining to party funding with the agency.

"I will go to the CBI with the evidence. After all this is investigated, he (Kejriwal) will go to jail," Mishra said.

As he brandished some cheques before reporters, Mishra fainted and was taken to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital here. His condition was stated to be "stable".

Countering Mishra, AAP leader Sanjay Singh questioned the authenticity of the "fake cheques".

"Anyone can do this. Even I can make such cheque for Rs 70 crore in BJP`s name," he said.

Sanjay Singh said the BJP and the Congress never made declarations of about 70-80 per cent of their donations totalling "Rs 1,000 crore in the last 10 years... received from unknown sources".

"You (the BJP) are the same party whose (then) national President (Bangaru Laxman) was caught on camera while accepting bribe in a defence deal. You readmitted (former Karnataka Chief Minister) Yeddyurappa after sacking him on corruption charges. Despite 54 deaths in the (Madhya Pradesh) Vyapam scam, the BJP is silent," he said.