More trouble for AAP as ED seeks probe in Rs 7 cr foreign funding

New Delhi, May 20: The Enforcement Directorate has written to the Union Home Ministry alleging the Aam Aadmi Party, which rules Delhi and Punjab, has received more than Rs 7 crore foreign funds in contravention of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), official sources said Monday.
The Aam Aadmi Party dismissed the allegation as “baseless” and claimed it was “another conspiracy hatched by the BJP” to tarnish AAP’s image ahead of voting for Lok Sabha seats in Delhi and Punjab.
The federal probe agency sent the communication after it recovered some documents and emails during a drugs-linked money laundering probe against former Punjab AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira and some others.
The probe was launched in 2021 and Khaira was arrested by the ED that year. He is now with the Congress party.
Official sources said the ED had sent a detailed communication to the Union Home Ministry in August last year, underlining the alleged violations by AAP and categorising these instances as contravention of the FCRA and The Representation of the People Act.
It is understood that the ED recently shared some fresh inputs in this case with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Sources said the ED found the AAP has received overseas donations of about Rs 7.08 crore till now and they allegedly “mis-declared and manipulated” the identities and nationalities of the foreign donors apart from some other details.
The fresh trouble for AAP comes against the backdrop of the Aam Aadmi Party being made an accused in the excise policy-linked money laundering case and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s close aide Bibhav Kumar being arrested in connection with the alleged assault on the party’s Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal at the CM’s residence. (PTI)