Sukesh reiterates giving Rs 60 cr to AAP minister Jain before LG-appointed panel: Sources

Jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar in statement to a committee constituted by LG VK Saxena has reiterated his charge of paying money to AAP minister Satyendar Jain for protection in jail and getting a Rajya Sabha berth, official sources said on Friday.

No immediate reaction was available from the Delhi government or the Aam Aadmi Party over the issue.

Earlier, the party leaders had dismissed Chandrashekhar's charges saying he was speaking like a BJP spokesperson and that he would join the party after coming out of jail.

The three-member committee headed by the principal secretary (Home) of Delhi government was constituted to inquire into the allegations made by Chandrashekhar against AAP leaders, including Jain, who is in Tihar jail in a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate.

The committee members met Chandrashekhar in Mandoli jail and recorded his statement on November 14-15, sources said.

As per a report submitted by the committee, Chandrashekhar reiterated his charge of giving Rs 60 crore to Satyendar Jain – Rs 50 crore for securing a Rajya Sabha seat from AAP and Rs 10 crore as "protection money." He has also claimed to have paid Rs 12.50 crore to the then Director General (Prison), Sandeep Goel, it said.

"He told the committee that he had all the Whatsapp chats between him and Jain confirming amount of money, its time of delivery and location, and he would provide this evidence if needed by probe agencies," sources said.

The conman also claimed talking to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal through Jain's phone to confirm delivery of installments of money paid by him.

He claimed that Kejriwal, with Jain and Kailash Gahlot, was present at a dinner party hosted by him at a hotel in RK Puram in 2017, sources said.

The report said that Chandrashekhar told the committee that he was introduced to Jain by a real estate developer based in Chennai and Bengaluru in 2015.