The AAP today termed as "stale" sacked Delhi minister Kapil Mishra's allegation that the party was funded by "hawala operatives" and dared the BJP-led Centre to initiate a probe into the issue instead of indulging in a "witch-hunt".
The party claimed that it followed relevant rules and regulations that govern a political party in accepting funds and the Rs 2 crore donation, received on April 5, 2014, was "no exception".
Senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said despite probe agencies, including the CBI, ED, I-T Department and Delhi police, "hounding the AAP" for the last two years, not a single piece of evidence has emerged against the party.
"If the Delhi police can reach AAP MLA Somnath Bharti's pet dog during an investigation, surely these agencies can conduct a probe and punish whoever is guilty? This is a brazen witch-hunt to crush an opposition party," Singh told a press conference.
The AAP has been claiming that the BJP is steering Mishra and is behind his series of allegations.
Mishra has made fresh charges against Arvind Kejriwal, claiming the Delhi chief minister had opposed demonetisation due to his alleged links with "hawala operators".
He alleged that the AAP received money from a company of a Delhi-based lawyer, whose assets worth crores of rupees were attached by the Enforcement Directorate over alleged money laundering after high value currency notes were demonetised in November last year.
"Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had claimed to have evidence about this alleged wrongdoing, but the fact that not a single central agency has been able to initiate action against the AAP is testimony to the fact that it was nothing more than an attempt to malign the image of the party and Kejriwal," Singh said.
The party also sought to turn the tables on the BJP and the Congress, which have been using Mishra's allegations to target it, claiming that these parties have been indicted by the Delhi High Court for accepting funds in violation of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.
"The court had indicted both parties and directed the Election Commission and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to take appropriate action against the two within six months for receiving illegal foreign funding from the subsidiaries of a major business house," Singh said.
