AAP MP Sanjay Singh accused the BJP of using central agencies to suppress the Aam Aadmi Party, linking Satyender Jain's arrest in the Delhi Jal Board case to the BJP's fear of defeat in the upcoming Punjab assembly elections.

Following the arrest of AAP leader Satyender Jain in the Delhi Jal Board sewage treatment plant tender irregularities case, party MP Sanjay Singh on Wednesday accused the BJP of using central agencies to suppress the Aam Aadmi Party ahead of every election, alleging that the arrest was driven by the BJP's fear of defeat in the upcoming Punjab polls.

'Arrest Linked to Punjab Polls'

Speaking to reporters, Singh linked the timing of Jain's arrest with Punjab elections approaching next year. "Satyendar Jain has been arrested because before every election, the BJP wants to suppress the Aam Aadmi Party and win elections by hook or by crook (saam-daam-dand-bhed). You may recall that during the Delhi elections, our Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested; Manish Sisodia, who was the Education Minister at that time, was arrested; Health Minister Satyendar Jain was arrested; and I was arrested," Singh said. "Now with elections in Punjab approaching, the BJP is facing a massive defeat in Punjab. They know they cannot win the election. So, out of frustration and desperation, they are taking this action," he said.

Singh said Jain, who serves as AAP's co-in-charge for Punjab, had been implicated in a case dating back two years, stating that Jain was already in jail at the time. "Satyendar Jain was arrested because he is the co-in-charge for Punjab. He was actively engaged in organisational work there, working day and night tirelessly. In a fake, baseless, false, two-year-old case--dating to a time when he wasn't even there and was in jail--they have forcibly thrown him into prison without any proof or evidence. Satyendar Jain was acquitted with full honour earlier, and he will be acquitted with honour again in the future. There is no case against him whatsoever," Singh said.

'Attempt to Stall Welfare Work'

He further alleged that the arrest was aimed at derailing the welfare initiatives of the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann government in Punjab. "This case is nothing but the frustration of Prime Minister Modi. This case is purely the frustration of the Bharatiya Janata Party. This is solely due to the fear of defeat haunting the BJP in Punjab. And this is also an attempt to stall and obstruct the welfare work being carried out by Bhagwant Mann's government in Punjab--in education, healthcare, electricity, water, providing irrigation water to farmers, offering ₹10 lakh medical insurance, and transferring ₹1,500 into the accounts of mothers and sisters," Singh said.

Leaders Echo Criticism

Echoing similar criticism, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann said that the arrest fits a pattern with other AAP leaders around election time. "He has been arrested because he is the co-in-charge of Punjab, and he was deliberately arrested just as they did before, like when Sanjay Singh was picked up during the Delhi elections. The case they are talking about happened when he was in jail. This is the BJP's way of operating during elections," Mann said during a presser.

Satyendar Jain himself claimed that his arrest was linked to the upcoming Punjab Assembly elections. "It is done because of Punjab elections," Jain said after being arrested in the case.

Case Details and Legal Arguments

Before the court hearing in the DJB alleged scam case, Senior Advocate Maninder Singh for Satyender Jain, said, "Supreme Court guidelines have been violated. The grounds of arrest are missing."

Along with Satyender Jain, the ACB is also presenting other accused - Udit Prakash Rai (IAS), former CEO, Delhi Jal Board, Ankit Srivastava, former contractual consultant, Delhi Jal Board, Nagendra Yadav, Proprietor M/s AN Enterprises, Raja Kumar Kurra, Owner M/s Euroteck Environment Pvt. Ltd, Pankaj Verma, Proprietor M/s Srijanhar- before Rouse Avenue Court.

They have been arrested in an ACB FIR registered on 11.05.2024 under Sections 7, 7A, 9, 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 (as amended in 2018) read with Sections 42, 409, 418, 120-B IPC. Jain was arrested for alleged large-scale irregularities, manipulation of tender conditions and criminal conspiracy in the tendering process related to the augmentation and upgradation of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)