Published: Dec 28, 2015, 07:46 PM (IST)
Edited: Dec 28, 2015, 07:46 PM (IST)
New Delhi: Suspended BJP MP Kirti Azad on Monday rejected his party’s argument that a SFIO probe had found no scam in DDCA affairs and sought a comprehensive probe by central agencies, including CBI and ED. Making it clear that he was not targeting Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, he sought to drag Congress leaders in the row, alleging that the previous UPA government did not take action because many of its nominees like Rajeev Shukla, Naveen Jindal and Arvinder Singh Lovely were working as DDCA directors and were “party to wrongdoing and remiss in their duties”. “Without due diligence crores of rupees were transferred in bank accounts having fake addresses. It was a monumental fraud as the same people for the same work were paid again and again. I have evidence,” he claimed, adding “My fight is against corruption in sports bodies. It is not against Jaitley”. READ: Kirti Azad: I want to expose DDCA corruption scam
Charged with anti-party activities over his attack on Finance Minister, he said that he was neither against BJP nor Jaitley. “I fail to understand where I have targeted the finance minister. I have said nothing against the party. I have always been a loyal soldier. But I will continue to fight against corruption. CBI and probe agencies like ED and DRI should carry out an extensive inquiry into the DDCA affairs,” he said. READ: Kirti Azad, Bishan Singh Bedi to suffer disciplinary measures from DDCA
Addressing the media, Azad named several firms which, he alleged, were involved in pocketing money running into crores of rupees and were “linked” with DDCA officials. Rejecting his party’s argument that no scam in the DDCA was found by Serious Fraud Investigation Office, he said the SFIO only looked into those papers which were given to them.
“SFIO committee only saw the papers that were given to them. It did not go into finding out whether the companies that were paid several crores of rupees even existed,” he said, adding that it still “indicted” the DDCA on several counts, mostly to do with lack of proper accounting. Jaitley and DDCA have denied allegations made by Azad, a former international cricketer. READ: Kirti Azad accuses BJP of ousting him for speaking the truth about DDCA corruption
Azad also wondered if attempts were being made to “hide” corruption, saying CBI instead of raiding the DDCA had only sent it notices, giving accused a chance to destroy proof. “I have done 90 per cent of investigation. CBI should take evidence from me. I do not know why it is so slow,” he said. He said he and others had written over 200 letters to Jaitley about the “financial irregularities” in the cricket body when he headed it but “nothing happened”.
Attacked by BJP for his activities in and outside Parliament, Azad asked party spokespersons to refrain from using “loose words”. Referring to reports that he was egged on by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi in Lok Sabha where he had sought a probe into the DDCA affairs, he said he spoke only after the Speaker asked him and any other suggestion can be a breach of privilege. He termed such claims a “bunch of lies”. READ: Kirti Azad gets backing from CSI
