Kejriwal in fresh trouble: What is ‘Khalistani funding’ charge against Delhi CM?

Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena has recommended an NIA probe against chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly receiving funding from pro-Khalistani outfits, dealing another blow to the jailed AAP leader during general elections. Saxena forwarded a complaint from one Ashoo Mongia to the ministry of home affairs, urging for a thorough investigation into allegations against the Delhi chief minister and his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
The complaint received from Mongia, national general secretary of the World Hindu Federation, India, alleges that AAP received substantial funding from extremist Khalistani groups, including banned ‘Sikhs for Justice’, the L-G secretariat said in a letter to the Union home ministry.
The complaint refers to a video purportedly featuring Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the founder of Sikhs for Justice, claiming that AAP received a staggering $16 million in funding from Khalistani groups between 2014 and 2022, according to the letter. It further alleges that in 2014, Arvind Kejriwal attended a clandestine meeting with pro-Khalistani Sikhs at Gurudwara Richmond Hills in New York.
During this meeting, Kejriwal allegedly promised to facilitate the release of Devender Pal Bhullar, a convicted militant, in exchange for financial support from Khalistani factions to AAP.
The complaint includes a letter from Arvind Kejriwal to one Iqbal Singh in which the AAP leader allegedly said his government is “sympathetic to the issue and would take all necessary steps to ensure full justice.”
“It further mentions that Delhi Government has already recommended to the President the release of Prof. Bhullar and would be working on other issues including formation of SIT etc.,” Saxena said in the letter.
“As per news reports of that time, Iqbal Singh was sitting on a fast at Jantar Mantar, demanding a written assurance for release of Bhullar. He ended the fast after receiving the letter from Kejriwal,” he added.
The complaint also points to some old social media posts on X by a former AAP worker who shared a picture of Kejriwal with Sikh leaders at Richmond Hill Gurudwara in 2014. Dr Munish Kumar Raizada’s tweets claimed that apart from public meetings, Kejriwal held closed-door discussions with pro-Khalistani Sikh leaders at the Gurudwara, according to the complainant.
“The electronic evidences adduced by the complainant requires investigation including forensic examination,” Saxena has said. The complaint is made against a chief minister and relates to political funding received from a banned terrorist organisation, the letter stated.
The move comes a day ahead of the Supreme Court considering granting Arvind Kejriwal interim bail in view of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. The AAP chief is in judicial custody in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the now-scrapped excise policy.
Meanwhile, the Aam Aadmi Party alleged that L-G’s recommendation of an NIA probe against Arvind Kejriwal is yet another conspiracy against the Delhi chief minister at the behest of the BJP.
“This is yet another conspiracy against Kejriwal at the behest of BJP. They are losing on all seven seats in Delhi and are rattled by the fear of defeat in Lok Sabha polls,” said AAP leader and Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj.