New Delhi: A day after Lt Governor Najeeb Jung refuted the accusation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal that he "presurised" Home Minister Satyendar Jain to grant parole to former Haryana CM O P Chautala, the AAP dispensation claimed the matter refers to a fresh parole plea filed by Chautala.
An official said that Chautala had filed a fresh plea on October 16 after his first plea for parole was rejected by LG on October 5 earlier this month.
"Government had recommended rejection of the fresh parole plea of former Haryana Chief Minister. Lt Governor should clarify that why he had summoned Jain on October 21 and then pressurised him to grant parole to Chautala," a government official said.
INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala is serving a decade-long jail term in teachers' recruitment scam case.
Sources said within days of the parole plea being rejected on October 5, another plea had been filed by Chautala on October 16, after which the Delhi Home Minister had been summoned by Jung on October 21.
Yesterday, Kejriwal had sent a two-page file noting on Chautala's file expressing displeasure over LG's alleged pressure on his minister and said he was strongly against parole to the INLD leader.
In the October 21 meeting with Jain, the Lt Governor, sources said, had cited two grounds - Chautala's age and his political stature.
In his file noting to Jung, Kejriwal had asked Jung "when judge did not show any leniency on age, why is he showing?"
"LG says the convict has been national president of a political party for five years. Everyone is equal before law," Kejriwal said.
Refuting government's allegations, LG Secretariat had yesterday issued a statement stating that the LG had rejected parole prayer of Chautala on October 5 as there should be a gap of minimum six months from the date of termination of last parole.
"Om Prakash Chautala had requested for parole for medical treatment. The Principal Secretary (Home) and Minister (Home) did not recommend the parole on the ground that convict had last availed one month parole w.E.F. April 4, 2015 to May 5, 2015 and further extended upto May 28, 2015 and he had surrendered on June 3, 2015," LG office said in the statement.
