Fresh trouble seems to be brewing for the AAP. Yesterday, the ED informed the MHA that during 2014-2022 period Arvind Kejriwal‘s AAP raised Rs. 7.8 crores of foreign funds in violation of the FCRA norms. The agency further informed MHA that the AAP not only breached the FCRA norms but also violated the RPA of 1951 and the IPC.
Lets take a look at what the ED has alleged in its report to MHA.
Details of The ED’s Report-
AAP Foreign Funding Exposed: Exclusive Details Of ED's Report To MHA | Republic TV Exclusive
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.#AAP | #AamAadmiParty | #EnforcementDirectorate | #MHA | #RepublicDigital | #RepublicTV | #RepublicWorld pic.twitter.com/qnfQ93nNuM— Republic (@republic) May 20, 2024
- In its report the ED alleges that the AAP received foreign funds from donors in multiple countries. The party has donors in countries like Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the U.K, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E and Oman.
- There are several instances in the document which shows multiple donors with the same mobile number, credit card numbers and passport numbers.
- The ED further informs the MHA that the AAP has breached section 3 of the FCRA and the PMLA (reported by Republic Tv).
- There are Instances of 155 persons residing abroad having made donations totaling to Rs 1,02,48,189 crore on 404 occasions using 55 passports.
- 201 donors used 51 email IDS to donate 639 times to AAP
- Then donations from Canadian foreign nationals also found, which are not allowed under FCRA norms. They reportedly made these donations totalling Rs. 51.15 Lakh using their email IDs and mobile numbers.
- The ED in its report alleges that the AAP deliberately tried to conceal the identities of these donors. Thereby violating section 3 of the FCRA of 2010 and the Representation of People Act of 1051.
- The agency stated, “The amount was raised by concealing, misdeclaring and manipulating the identities and nationalities of foreign donors as well as several other facts relating to foreign donations.”
- According to a Republic TV report, 200 persons sent donations using the passports of only 11 volunteers in Canada. Moreover, they made as many as 700 transactions using about 155 odd numbers and email ids.
- There are around 71 donors who used 21 mobile numbers to make donations totalling Rs 99.90 lakh in approximately 256 instances.
- While 75 donors from abroad used 15 credit cards to make donations totalling Rs 19.92 lakh on 148 occasions.
- According to Republic TV, the report identifies one individual as Karnal Singh, who is linked to Khalistani elements and has also made a donation.
AAP Leaders Named-
- According to the report, the AAP had organised a fundraising event in Toronto on 30th January 2016. During this event, the party raised funds totaling 11,786 Dollars, out of which they claimed 3821 Dollars as expenses. They sent the rest of the amount to AAP India by using the passports of only 11 Canadian volunteers.
- The ED has alleged that an amount of 7,955 Canadian dollars was sent to AAP in their IDBI bank account using the passports of 11 AAP Canada volunteers (Indian citizens). Even though more than 200 people who had attended that event claimed to have made the said donation.
- Money raised through these foreign donations then siphoned off in personal accounts of AAP leaders
- The ED has substantiated its charges on the basis of the content accessed in email exchanges between the AAP leaders and volunteers. The report mentions names of AAP leaders like -Durgesh Pathak, Aniket Saxena (Coordinator of AAP Overseas India) Kumar Vishwas (then Convenor of AAP Overseas India) and Kapil Bhardwaj (AAP Member).
- The report mentions communication between Durgesh Pathak who is now MLA and Kapil Bharadwaj. They had asked Aniket Saxena to transfer 29,000 Canadian dollars (collected during fundraising) directly to their personal accounts via Bhagwant Toor.
- Reportedly, AAP had organised another event on November 2022 in Toronto. Durgesh Pathak had attended this event and a sum of 15,000 Canadian dollars was raised.
- Reportedly, the agency also claims a target of Rs 50 crore in overseas donations was set for volunteers in 2016.
How The Irregularities Surfaced?
The FCRA breaches and possible irregularities had emerged during an investigation into a drug smuggling case in Punjab’s Fazilka area. As a result, the ED had summoned former AAP MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira to appear in court. Upon scrutinising the seized documents, the ED discovered a receipt of $1,19,000 in foreign donations.
Sukhpal Singh Khaira had also revealed the same in his testimony. He claimed that the overseas fundraising event raised $1,19,000. The AAP had organised this event in the USA around April-May 2015. Interestingly, it was shortly before Punjab Assembly elections 2017.