Turmoil as AAP promises action after sting on candidates

New Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party has requested a website MediaSarkar.com to provide unedited footage of the purported sting conducted on its candidates, in which they have been shown expressing willingness to accept unaccounted money.The sting created turmoil in the nascent anti-corruption party with Surajit Dasgupta resigning from the National council and party candidate Shazia Ilmi offering to withdraw from R K Puram constituency.A press release from AAP said:"Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has entered the electoral arena with a mission to clean politics. The party has come into being on the basis of a popular movement against corruption. It is committed to upholding the highest values in public life. AAP has assured the electors of Delhi that if there is any credible evidence of corruption, criminality or dubious character against any of its 70 candidates, the Party shall withdraw its support to that candidate even if we have to leave the seat vacant."Today, a CD containing sting operation against some of our candidates and another leader has been released in the public domain. These are excerpts and edited version of a series of sting operations conducted over the last few weeks. We believe that more such “disclosures” maybe in the offing."AAP takes serious view of these allegations. We have been the target of a spate of allegations in the last one week or so. The timing and nature of these allegations suggest that these are motivated. It is not surprising that a party that seeks to redefine moral standards in politics is being collectively targeted by powerful vested interests, including the big parties, some corrupt sections of the media and corporate. Nevertheless, AAP owes an explanation to the nation for every serious allegation, irrespective of its source or the motives."The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of AAP has decided to review the evidence presented to the public and take a decision on this issue within the next 24 hours. The PAC has requested everyone named in the CD to present their version. We have also requested Mr. Anuranjan Jha to provide us with the raw, unedited footage of the sting operation by tomorrow morning."The PAC will meet tomorrow and take a final decision. The Party shall not hesitate in taking strict action, including withdrawing the candidature, if any of the allegations are found to be credible." Here are excerpts from this sting operation: Shazia Ilmi Sting: Reporter – We want to hurt the image of a company. We are trying to find out the loopholes of that company. We are also planning a dharna. It will really help us if you could attend this dharna for 5 minutes. Shazia: If you have any solid documents against them then we can manage it on our own. Reporter: What if we have no legal documents? We want to do something. Shazia: Then we can't do anything. Reporter: Ok…What about donation process? Shazia: You can give us cash or cheque. Everything will go in AAP account. We'll give you receipt. Reporter: See we don't want receipt. We can pay only up to 10 in cheque, rest will be in cash. Shazia: OK…cash will do. Reporter: If you'll give us receipt then our company's name will come out and it will create problems for us. So can we pay in the name of somebody else? Shazia: What you can do is to pay directly to our volunteers. They have their fixed salaries around 20K each. They are 4-5 in numbers. We'll manage that. Reporter: We want to pay 25. 10 through cheque and rest in cash. Shazia: OK..OK Reporter: How long will it take? Shazia: Talk to Siddhartha. Reporter: We want to show your face at our Dharna for 5 minutes. We'll get good coverage. Shazia: OK..When do you want to do it? Reporter: Whenever you say. Shazia: Now everything in possible only after elections. Reporter: OK Manoj Kumar Sting: Reporter: We can manage votes for you. You just have to help us in a small matter. Manoj Kumar: What's the location Reporter: It's here in Kondali. Have given cash for a house but that person is neither giving the ownership nor is he returning the cash. Manoj Kumar: You have given advance? Reporter: Yes, it's matter of around Rs. 15 Lakh. He'll return if you come into picture. Manoj Kumar: OK…I'll send from here..I can't come personally. Reporter: You can come after elections are over. Manoj Kumar: See I'm with you after one month. Wherever you will put me, your work will be done."AAP leader Kumar Vishwas said he was a poet. "An event company came to me for a show..They wanted to give me Rs 50,000 as advance, but I refused to take it. It is not a crime to take 50,000 rupees in this nation. That girl said that I don't have a cheque right now, I can only book you with cash. So, we took the cash and gave her a receipt."It is the duty of income tax department to immediately arrest anyone who do not pay his/her returns.I always pay my taxes."Shazia also said many times that if you give us cash, we will give you a receipt."We always say that we are ready for investigation." The sting operation was carried out by the website against 7 AAP candidates contesting Delhi assembly polls including Shazia Ilmi. Kumar Vishwas, a prominent face of AAP and a close aide of Kejriwal is also trapped in this sting operation and is seen as willing to do his show in lieu of cash and not cheque. What has come as a major shock to Kejriwal supporters is the fact that out of 7 party candidates, only one candidate Prakash, AAP candidate from Devli constituency, refused to indulge in any illegal activity. All others are seen in this CD as willing to compromise with principles. In this sting operation, Shazia Ilmi , AAP candidate contesting from R K Puram is seen as willing to accept unaccounted donation. In the second part of this CD, another prominent face of AAP, Kumar Vishwas, is seen showing his readiness for doing a show in lieu of cash and not cheque. The CD also shows Manoj Kumar, AAP candidate from Kondli, agreeing to recover money from a builder. Manoj Kumar Kumar promises to get the work done through his men after elections are over. The six AAP candidates who have been seen as compromising with principles in this CD are – Shazia Ilmi (R K Puram), Manoj Kumar (Kondli), Dinesh Mohaniya (Sangam Vihar), Irfanullah Khan (Okhla), Mukesh Huda (Rohtas Nafar) and Bhawna Gaur(Palam). The seventh AAP candidate Prakash (Devli) emerged as an honest candidate who refused to get involved in anything illegal.