Jailed conman Sukesh Chandrashekhar has claimed that he personally funded the luxurious furnishings in the official residence of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Chandrashekhar claimed that he purchased the upscale furnishings, including a Visionaire 12-seater dining table for Rs. 45 lakh and Ralph Lauren bedspreads, pillows, and rugs costing roughly Rs. 28 lakh, in a letter submitted to Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on May 6. He added that Satyendar Jain, the jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, and Kejriwal chose the furnishings based on images shared with them via Facetime and WhatsApp chats.
Chandrashekhar claimed he paid for all the furnishings through his company’s News Express Post and LS Fisheries, and he would provide the inquiry agency with a summary of records and the WhatsApp conversations between him, Kejriwal, and Jain. He further claimed that he sent Kejriwal silver dinnerware worth Rs. 90 lakh in return for a kickback on the Karol Bagh Project. The letter stated that the cutlery was made up of 20 fine silver glasses, 15 thali plates, a few idols and numerous bowls and spoons.
Chandrashekhar’s assertions have stirred debate and prompted inquiries into the utilisation of public cash. The purported expenditure of Rs. 45 crore by the Delhi government to renovate Kejriwal’s home during the Covid epidemic had drawn criticism from the BJP. The Delhi Lieutenant Governor has directed the chief secretary to gather all pertinent data, conduct a thorough investigation, and provide a comprehensive report for the LG’s review within 15 days in response to these reports.
Raghav Chadha of the AAP responded with a refutation, citing the sums spent on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official home and aircraft. Chadha emphasised the need for an all-encompassing viewpoint in the current discussion.
The investigation’s findings and the veracity of Chandrashekhar’s assertions are still unknown. The claims, however, have raised questions about Kejriwal’s leadership and the use of public cash and are sure to spark political discussion and public scrutiny.