New Delhi: Delhi Home Minister Satyendra Jain has complained to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal about being pressurised by Lt Governor Najeeb Jung for granting parole to INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala, the AAP said on Friday.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) spokesperson Raghav Chadha alleged that Jung is defending Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) leader Chautala and misleading the media.
Chadha also questioned Jung’s motive as the LG office released a press statement on Friday.
Chautala is currently behind bars in Tihar Jail here after being convicted in a case relating to teachers’ recruitment in Haryana.
“On October 16, Om Prakash Chautala’s second parole application request was received. Lt. governor summoned Jain on October 21, pressurised him to grant parole to Chautala and questioned why the 84-year-old INLD leader wasn’t getting his parole granted,” the AAP spokesperson said.
“Lt. governor said that he received only one parole plea (on October 5), so why didn’t he inform that there was a second parole plea on October 16 as well?” he said.
“Om Prakash Chautala, who is currently lodged in Delhi’s Tihar jail, has made another request that he should be transferred to Punjab’s Bhatinda jail.
“Lt. governor showed special interest to this transfer plea and asked state home department official to send him the file. He did not ask for the file through official channel (as per Delhi Transaction of Business Rules and SCT Act).
“Why does the LG want to shift a convict from where the Aam Aadmi Party government is present to another state’s jail where BJP’s government is present?” the spokesperson asked.
“In May, when another plea by Chautala was received asking for an extension of one month be granted to him Delhi’s home minister in writing said that this parole request is unwarranted … This file when sent to LG’s office was disregarded and one-month extension was granted to Chautala.
“We ask LG if this is true or not that he showed special interest in Chautala’s case even in the month of May, rejected Delhi government’s recommendation and granted the month extension to him,” he added.
On Thursday, Congress questioned both the Bharatiya Janata Party and AAP on the issue of the parole plea of former Haryana chief minister Om Prakash Chautala and alleged moves to transfer him to Bathinda jail in Punjab.
IANS