Delhi CM bungalow row: BJP ‘captured’ house: Atishi; LoP Vijender Gupta says she’s playing ‘victim card’

Earlier successful the day, AAP shared a video and photos of Atishi moving and signing files portion sitting among a heap of packed cartons and cardboard boxes.

To this, BJP person and Leader of Opposition successful the Delhi Assembly Vijender Gupta said Atishi was doing “drama” and playing the “victim card”. Gupta claimed helium visited Atishi’s authoritative residence astatine AB-17, Mathura Road, and observed three-four luxury cars successful the complex. “… she had a expansive bureau successful the Delhi Secretariat, which was precocious renovated with crores of rupees… contempt this, she wants to illegally inhabit the ‘Sheesh Mahal’ without getting immoderate authoritative allotment,” helium alleged.

PWD officials, meanwhile, said they person completed the inventory of the bungalow and a telephone volition beryllium taken to allot it to the CM. For this, officials said they volition see 3 factors — the ongoing probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the outgo of renovating/constructing the residence; the location not being earmarked arsenic the authoritative CM’s residence; and the Mathura Road location wherever Atishi is surviving and has to beryllium surrendered to the Centre.

On Wednesday, AAP claimed Atishi moved successful aft taking attraction of formalities portion PWD said an authoritative “handover” of the spot from erstwhile CM Arvind Kejriwal to the section is yet to occur. This bungalow is besides facing a Vigilance Department inquiry, isolated from the CBI probe, implicit alleged irregularities successful the reconstruction of the building. While Kejriwal was allotted the location successful 2015, it was rebuilt successful 2020-21.

“Yesterday, the PWD squad did the archetypal circular of inventory and took different abrogation certificate from CM Atishi. This is simply a process to cheque if items specified arsenic airy fittings, physics items similar aerial conditioners, fans, furniture, sofa, beds, and wardrobes that the authorities owns are arsenic it was erstwhile erstwhile CM Kejriwal vacated… The process was photographed and videographed. Today, the 2nd circular of inventory was done and the study was sent to the Deputy Secretary, Housing Allotment section,” said officials.

The engineering helping volition past taxable the study to the Director of Allotment (who is the Principal Secretary), who volition instrumentality the last call.

Officials claimed Atishi had taken the keys from the section earlier it could implicit the inventory and contented an authoritative allotment letter. In a missive to the Special Secretary to CM connected October 6, PWD highlighted the “vigilance cases connected the operation of the house”. “As you are aware, immoderate vigilance cases pertaining to the operation of the residence astatine 6, Flagstaff Road, are on. It is, therefore, indispensable connected the portion of the PWD to undertake an inspection and a elaborate inventory of the location earlier making a caller allotment,” the missive read.

Sources besides said the Mathura Road location wherever Atishi is presently surviving is owned by the cardinal authorities and earlier allotted to erstwhile lawman CM Manish Sisodia. “After helium resigned, the authorities of Delhi/ PWD had to surrender the location to the MoHUA but they allotted it to Atishi contempt her not holding the lawman CM post… The PWD has been getting respective reminders and notices from the Centre connected this… The existent CM has not vacated the location yet…,” claimed officials.

On Wednesday, the CMO bureau had accused the Delhi L-G of allegedly forcibly removing Atishi’s belongings astatine the BJP’s behest. Delhi Urban Development Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had besides asked if an inventory of Raj Niwas was done by the PWD earlier the L-G moved successful in 2022.

Raj Niwas officials, however, had said the curate was uninformed astir processes.

The Delhi BJP and the Delhi Congress excessively questioned AAP’s hurry to displacement into the bungalow.