Cash-for-ticket row: ACB summons AAP MLA after arrest of his three aides
On Wednesday morning, the ACB announced the arrest of three men, including MLA Tripathi's brother-in-law, who allegedly took money from a north Delhi businessman to get his wife a councillor's ticket in the MCD election.
FollowThe Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) on Wednesday (November 16) summoned Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Akhilesh Tripathi for questioning on Thursday in connection with the arrest of three men who allegedly took a bribe on his behalf in exchange for party tickets to contest in the upcoming MCD elections.
Speaking to reporters, an officer, who asked not to be named said, "MLA Tripathi has been summoned to ACB headquarters tomorrow at noon. The other MLA whose name has surfaced in the probe will also be summoned later."
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On Wednesday morning, the ACB announced the arrest of three men, including MLA Tripathi's brother-in-law, who allegedly took money from a north Delhi businessman to get his wife a councillor's ticket in the MCD election.
ACB chief Madhur Verma had said that Tripathi's brother-in-law Om Singh was caught red handed with Rs 35 lakh that they were returning to the complainant as the party worker's name was not in the list of those who were given tickets to contest the election.
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Explaining details of the case, the ACB said that on November 14, the complainant Gopal Khari approached the ACB alleging that the MLA Tripathi had asked for a bribe of Rs 90 lakh to get a ticket from ward 69 (Kamla Nagar) for his wife, Shobha Khari.
"The complainant paid a bribe of Rs 35 lakh to MLA Tripathi and Rs 20 lakh to MLA of Wazirpur, Rajesh Gupta on the instructions of Tripathi. He assured MLA Tripathi that the remaining money would be paid after his wife got the ticket. On November 12, the complainant did not find his wife’s name in the list of candidates released by the party," ACB Verma said.
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"The accused Om Singh contacted Khari (complainant) and said that the money would be returned and that his wife would get a ticket in the next election. Khari has submitted a video and audio recording of the conversation when the money was returned," he added.
The election across 250 wards of the MCD will be held on December 4.
