Rs 50 cr paid in cash to Satyendar Jain: Sukesh Chandrashekhar to inquiry committee

New Delhi, Dec 16 (IANS) The three-member committee headed by the Principal Secretary (Home) that was constituted to inquire into the allegations of conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and jailed Minister Satyendar Jain has submitted its report.

A source with home department said that the committee met Sukesh Chandrashekhar in the jail and recorded his statement on two different occasions.

As per the report submitted by the committee, Sukesh has reiterated his charges of giving Rs 60 crore to Satyendar Jain (Rs 50 crore for securing Rajya Sabha seat from AAP and Rs 10 crore as protection money) and paying another Rs 12.50 crore to the then Director General (Prison) Sandeep Goel.

The committee recorded Sukesh's statement on November 14 and 15 at Mandoli Jail wherein he said that Rs 50 crore was paid in cash to Satyendar Jain at the farm house of Delhi's Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot in Asola Mines, Delhi, in four instalments and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was fully in the loop as far as these financial transactions were concerned. Kejriwal along with Jain and Gahlot also attended the dinner party thrown by Sukesh at Hotel Hyatt Regency, Bhikaji Kama Place, once the full delivery of Rs 50 crore was completed during 2017, said the source.

He also testified before the inquiry committee that he had all the WhatsApp chats between him and Satyendar Jain confirming the amount, delivery time and the delivery location, and he would provide all these evidence as and when required by the investigating agencies.

Sukash has revealed that "every time that he got the amounts delivered to Mr. Satyendar Jain and Mr. Kailash Gahlot at his Farm House at Asola, Delhi, I also wanted to convey the same to Mr. Arvind Kejriwal and due to same, I was allowed to speak to Mr. Arvind Kejriwal after every delivery from the phone of Mr. Satyendar Jain and he also met Arvind Kejriwal."

Sukash went on record to say that he was introduced to Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by Satyendar Jain and had thereafter remained in touch with him through several conversations on phone. He also stated that he had informed the same to the Enforcement Directorate and CBI officials.

In order to establish the veracity of Sukash's claims, the inquiry committee also met the ED and CBI officials investigating the case. The committee, finding the allegations "grave" and "serious" in nature, and citing lack of wherewithal to further verify, has recommended a detailed investigation by a specialised agency.

"I have paid total amount of Rs 60 crore which was bifurcated as Rs 50 crore towards the party postings in South Zone and nomination to Rajya Sabha and the said fund was paid in cash by me and my Secretary Mr. Gopinath who accompanied me in 2016, at a farm, which belongs to Mr. Kailash Gehlot, at Asola, Delhi. The amount was paid in three to four different instalments within a span of three to four days in the farm of Mr. Kailash Gehlot and the amount received by Mr. Satyendar Jain and Mr. Kailash Gehlot at the Asola farm, Delhi and after every delivery, I have confirmed from the phone of Mr. Satyendar Jain to Mr. Arvind Kejriwal. Thereafter, in 2019, another Rs 10 crore was paid to Mr. Satyendra Jain as protection money for jail matter, thus totalling Rs 60 crore," Sukash told the committee.