AAP ads Delhi: AAP ordered to pay Rs 163 cr in 10 days for 'political ads'
New Delhi/IBNS: The Directorate of Information and Publicity (DIP) has issued a notice to Arvind Kejriwal’s Aam Admi Party (AAP), asking it to pay Rs 163.62 crore in 10 days for its political advertisements allegedly published in the garb of government advertisements, media reported.
The development comes days after Delhi Lieutenant Governor K Saxena directed the chief secretary to recover Rs 97 crore from AAP for political advertisements it put up posing as government advertisements.
A report in the media quoted a source as saying that if the AAP convener, Arvind Kejriwal, fails to furnish the amount, all legal actions including attachment of the properties of the party, shall be taken in a time-bound manner, as per the earlier order of the Delhi LG.
The report further quoted the source as saying that Rs 99.31 crore pertains to the principal amount due on political advertisements till March 31, 2017, while Rs 64.31 crore is the penal interest on this amount.
Delhi Deputy Chief Minister and AAP leader, Manish Sisodia lashed out at the LG and the BJP over the order, claiming that the officials were misused against elected ministers and the ruling AAP.
दिल्ली में अफ़सरों पर असंवैधानिक नियंत्रण का नाजायज़ इस्तेमाल देखिए -
— Manish Sisodia (@msisodia) January 12, 2023
बीजेपी ने दिल्ली सरकार की सूचना विभाग सचिव ऐलिस वाज़ (IAS) से नोटिस दिलवाया है कि 2017 से दिल्ली से बाहर राज्यों में दिये गए विज्ञापनों का खर्चा मुख्यमंत्री @ArvindKejriwal जी से वसूला जाएगा. (1/2) https://t.co/PCtNyxCzEA
Reacting to AAP’s outburst, BJP’s spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said that “they should pay up instead of playing the victim card” and called it “AAP - Aur Advertisement-vali Party”.
Notice issued to AAP govt for payment of Rs163 cr within ten days should be welcomed
— Shehzad Jai Hind (@Shehzad_Ind) January 12, 2023
AAP = Aur Advertisement-vali Party
It blew up public money for political advt in violation of SC order, Delhi HC order
They should pay up instead of playing victim card! https://t.co/h6OB3Qd0Bh pic.twitter.com/TeITlXCz1c
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