New Delhi: The Delhi unit of the Congress Party on Tuesday released a sting video which purportedly shows a man claiming to be a close associate of AAP leader and Environment minister Imran Hussain asking for a bribe of Rs 30 lakh from a builder.
The audio and video clips of the alleged conversations were released by Congress leader Ajay Maken at a press conference in the national capital today. Maken claimed that the clips had conversations between the minister's brother, Furkan Hussain and an office staff asking for money.
The name of the minister in the Arvind Kejriwal cabinet comes up several times during the conversation heard in the clip.
Here is the video:
"We will send this clip to Arvind Kejriwal, and the CBI. Also we want the Chief Minister to take necessary action and suspend the minister," said Maken, who also serves as the Delhi Congress chief.
In the video, Hussain's close associate Hammad can be seen convincing builder Qasim to pay him a bribe of Rs 30 lakh for some plot of land. By doing so, he promises in the video, neither the police nor the MCD would touch the plot. “Rs 30 lakh will be needed for the plot of land. Neither MCD nor the police will then bother you,” Hussain's close associate Hammad is seen asking a builder.
Hammad can also be heard in the video saying he extorts money on behalf the minister, as he spent crores of rupees to contest the elections and was hence demanding the money.
Qasim, in response, claimed that he once paid the minister Rs 5 lakh but the MCD still slapped a show cause notice.
Meanwhile, AAP minister Imran Hussain, who represents Ballimaran in the assembly, denied the charge as "baseless".
"I have nothing to do with the sting. The allegations are totally baseless. If Maken can prove the charges, I will quit politics. He should quit politics, if he fails," said Hussain, the Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, and Environment and Forests.
Hussain was made minister in October last year, replacing Asim Ahmed Khan who was sacked by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for demanding a bribe of Rs 6 lakh from a builder.
Maken claimed "the sting operation takes the wind out of the probity and transparency claims" of Kejriwal who came to power promising corruption-free administration, and demanded a CBI probe into the matter.
Replying to questions, the Congress leader said if an impartial probe is held, Kejriwal too 'cannot remain untouched' as there have been charges of selling tickets during polls.
(With PTI inputs)
