New Delhi: AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj on Saturday questioned BJP ally TDP’s move to field the father of Raghav Manguta Reddy — who turned approver in the Delhi liquor policy case — as its Lok Sabha candidate. He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party will campaign for a man who is a key witness against Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal.
“We told you about Sharat Reddy’s relation with the BJP. He donated money to the BJP after being arrested in a money laundering case. Today, we are talking about ex-YSRCP MP Magunta Reddy and his son Raghav Manguta Reddy. Yesterday, the NDA member TDP nominated him (Magunta Reddy) as its candidate for Lok Sabha elections. This means PM Modi and the entire BJP will now garner votes for someone who is the key witness against (Delhi CM) Arvind Kejriwal,” he said.
TDP, a BJP ally, has fielded Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy from Ongole Lok Sabha seat. He and his son had switched to TDP from the YSR Congress last year.
Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy is a four-time MP from Ongole. His name surfaced in the liquor policy case. His son is an approver in the excise policy case.
Also read: Excise policy case: AAP leader Kailash Gahlot joins ED probe after summons
Arvind Kejriwal, who is in Enforcement Directorate’s custody in the liquor policy case, named the man during his submissions before Delhi’s Rouse Avenue court on Thursday,
According to a PTI report, Kejriwal said his office gave the then YSRCP MP an appointment to meet after 10 days.
“He came over and said I want to open my family’s charitable trust in Delhi. I told him that land does not come under us, it comes under the Lieutenant Governor (LG),” the Delhi CM said in court.
He said later ED rated their premises and his son was arrested.
Also read: NDA ally TDP fields ex-YSRCP MP Magunta Reddy from Ongole. Who is he?
“When the son remains arrested for five months, the father changes his statement. He changed his statement on July 16, 2023, and his son was released on July 18. Mission accomplished. That means the only mission of the ED was to get me trapped,” the AAP leader said.
According to Kejriwal, Magunta Srinivas Reddy gave three statements to the agency but only one was considered.
“Why the only statement that is against Kejriwal has been included in the 25,000 pages of ED report and the other two statements were not considered?All the three statements should have been brought to the notice of the court, so that it could decide the truth in the case,” Kejriwal added.
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate earlier this month in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the Delhi excise policy case.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh and Manish Sisodia had also been arrested over similar charges.
On Saturday, Kailash Gehlot appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in the case.
With inputs from PTI, ANI
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