There is an uproar in Delhi politics following the presentation of the CAG report in the Assembly by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta. So far, the CAG reports related to the liquor policy of the Kejriwal government and the health department have been made public. However, it is now being speculated that if the CAG report of other departments, such as the Education Department, is released, not only Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia but also several other AAP leaders, including Atishi Marlena and Gopal Rai, may face serious troubles.
Till now, two CAG reports regarding Kejriwal’s tenure have been presented in the Delhi Assembly. The report on the liquor policy revealed a loss of Rs 2002 crore to the government. Meanwhile, the CAG report on the Health Department exposed major irregularities, including the failure to utilize allocated funds and the supply of substandard medicines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, quoting a BJP MLA, a report by Bhaskar has made several claims regarding another upcoming CAG report. The BJP MLA said, “There has been a scam in Delhi’s Education Department, which is as massive as the liquor scam. The exact financial loss is yet to be determined, but once the CAG report is presented, major irregularities will be exposed. Manish Sisodia, who was jailed in the liquor scam, will now face legal consequences in the education department scam as well.”
The media report further states that there are 2-3 more CAG reports on the AAP government’s functioning, and if these are made public, they could uncover scams on the scale of the liquor scam. Former Delhi CM Atishi and former minister Gopal Rai may also find themselves entangled in these troubles.
It is worth noting that Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has announced that she will present 14 CAG reports on the AAP government’s performance. Initially, the government had planned to present only one CAG report in the ongoing Assembly session, but later, the Health Department report was also tabled. However, this is unlikely to bring any respite to AAP leaders, as 12 more CAG reports are yet to be presented. Out of these, 2-3 reports contain serious allegations against the AAP government. Several former ministers are already under investigation, and fresh cases may emerge from these reports. More former ministers could face serious charges, further complicating matters for the party.
Reports suggest that among all the scams allegedly committed by the AAP government, the education department scam could be as grave as the liquor scam. The report is expected to highlight issues related to teacher recruitment, school construction, and other discrepancies. However, sources also indicate that the CAG report related to the Education Department and other departments will not be released immediately. With the government set to run for five years, Kejriwal and his team may face challenges gradually. Additionally, some reports related to AAP’s alleged scams are expected to be strategically released around the Punjab elections.
Before being jailed, former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia held the Education Department portfolio. Sisodia served as the Education Minister for two consecutive terms, from 14 February 2015 to 28 February 2023. Now, he could face another legal challenge related to the Education scam. After Sisodia’s arrest, Atishi took charge of the Education Department, albeit for less than two years. While allegations may also be directed at Atishi, Sisodia is expected to remain the primary accused in the case.
