Modi, Kejriwal must apologise for misleading country: Cong on ED's closure report in CWG case
New Delhi (PTI): With a Delhi court accepting the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) closure report in a case related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the Congress on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal must apologise to it and the people of India for misleading the country.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said before 2014, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Kejriwal and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had come together to "fabricate scams" like 2G and Commonwealth Games (CWG) to defame his party.
"Two very honest and dedicated leaders -- Dr Manmohan Singh and Mrs Sheila Dixit -- were falsely accused," he said in a post in Hindi on X.
The truth of 2G had already come out in court and on Monday, the court accepted the ED's closure report in the CWG case as well, Ramesh said.
"It is clear -- both the allegations were false! Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal must apologise to the Congress and the people of India for misleading the country. Satyameva Jayate!" he said.
Congress's media and publicity department head Pawan Khera alleged that for years, the BJP ecosystem weaponised lies to tarnish the grand old party over issues like 2G, CWG, Robert Vadra and coal.
The truth stands tall and their falsehoods lie in ruins, he said in a post on X.
"These cases were never about justice; they were about political persecution, headlines over substance, and deflecting attention from their own failures," Khera said.
"The collapse of these manufactured cases is not just a legal victory, it is a moral and political indictment of the BJP's politics of false narrative. Truth does not shout from TV studios, it asserts itself quietly, powerfully, and inevitably," he added.
Will the prime minister apologise to the nation, the Congress leader asked.
Khera also asked whether Kejriwal would apologise to the people of Delhi.
A Delhi court on Monday accepted the ED's closure report in a money-laundering case against Suresh Kalmadi, the head of the organising committee of the 2010 CWG, its secretary general Lalit Bhanot and others.
The acceptance of the closure report brought to an end the money-laundering angle in the alleged scam, which took place 15 years ago.
The allegations of corruption in conducting the 2010 CWG triggered a huge political uproar in the country, leading to several criminal and money-laundering cases, including the present one, being filed.
Kalmadi and others were accused of misconduct in the award and execution of two important contracts for the games.
Special judge Sanjeev Aggarwal noted that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had already closed the corruption case, based on which the ED started its money-laundering probe.
The judge took note of the ED's submission that the offence of money-laundering could not be proved during its investigation.
"Since during the investigations, the prosecution has failed to make out an offence under section 3 (money-laundering) of the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) ... as no offence under section 3 of the PMLA has been made out or has been committed, despite discreet investigations by the ED, therefore, there is no reason to continue with the present ECIR. As a consequence, the closure report filed by the ED stands accepted," the judge said.
The sole money-laundering investigation was initiated by the ED on the basis of the case lodged by the CBI.
The CBI filed its closure report in January 2014, saying "no incriminating evidence surfaced during the investigation in the matter" and the allegations in the FIR could not be substantiated against the accused.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
