ED alleges over Rs 7 cr foreign funding to AAP; Atishi says 'BJP's new conspiracy'

It was acknowledged that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was recently provided with some new information on this case by the ED.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), on May 20, wrote to the Home Ministry alleging that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has received more than Rs 7 crore in foreign funds in violation of the FCRA, according to official sources.

The central investigation agency provided the communication after it found certain emails and documents while probing former Punjab AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira and a few others for drug-related money laundering.

As per PTI, the ED had detained Khaira in 2021, when the investigation was started. However, right now, he is a member of Congress.

According to official sources, the ED highlighted the alleged AAP violations in a detailed statement addressed to the Home Ministry last August. The communication classified these incidents as violations of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) and The Representation of the People Act.

It was acknowledged that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was recently provided with some new information on this case by the ED.

Soon after, Delhi Minister and AAP leader, Atishi Singh, lashed out at the ED and the BJP, during a press meet, stating that the ruling party's scams will come out in the open and face probe after Lok Sabha elections are out on June 4.

"After June 4, the BJP's scams will be investigated. In these Lok Sabha elections, the people of Delhi and Punjab have decided that the BJP is going, and the INDIA Alliance will form the government. Every day for the next 10 days, the BJP will make false allegations against AAP and Arvind Kejriwal, but the people have made up their minds".

According to the sources, the investigation agency also provided the MHA with information on the verified names, nationalities, passport numbers, amount donated, method of donation, recipient's bank account number, billing name, address, phone number, email, time and date of the donation, and payment gateway used of the donors.

As per a senior source, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) looks into cases of FCRA violations, and the home ministry can write to the CBI to request an investigation into the allegations made by the ED.

The ED also notified the MHA, citing specific violations, that the party's financial documents had some Canadians' identities and nationalities "concealed" in order to "hide" the foreign donations going into the party's Indian bank account, it has been learnt from the PTI report.

The agency informed the ministry that certain fundraising events that AAP organised in the USA and Canada between 2015 and 2016 with the help of volunteers from its foreign wing may have violated the FCRA, stated the report.