ED sources claim Rs 25 crore paid in cash to AAP workers during 2022 Goa polls

PANAJI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is preparing a water-tight case against some Goa Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, for unaccounted cash payments during January-February 2022 and ED sources told this website that about Rs 25 crore was paid in cash to AAP workers in Goa during the 2022 State Assembly polls towards travelling, transportation and food expenses.

About Rs 10 crore in cash was distributed to voters in various constituencies during the State elections and has been shown as transportation expenses, ED sources claimed.

“There are no accounts of these cash payments. While some AAP MLA candidates also spent their own monies and maintained accounts, a huge sum of Rs 45 crore was received by the Goa AAP unit from the South Group (term used by the ED to describe some arrested accused from South India in the Delhi excise policy case) and was spent by the AAP during the 2022 state polls. Out of this Rs 45 crore, Rs 1.5 crore was paid to a Bhandari Samaj leader for supporting the AAP, another Rs 50 lakh was paid to another minority community leader and Rs 25 crore were paid to AAP workers and volunteers. Nearly Rs 5 crore (from the Rs 45 crore) was spent on printing, stationery, hoardings and banners,” the ED source informed, adding that all these payments were made in cash, which is against the rules of the Election Commission.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Aam Aadmi Party’s Goa unit president Amit Palekar and three others including two Bhandari Samaj leaders appeared before the Enforcement Directorate in Panaji for questioning in connection with a money laundering case.

A day earlier, the ED has summoned Palekar, AAP leader Ramrao Wagh and two others — Dattaprasad Naik and Ashok Naik, both leaders of the Bhandari Samaj – a prominent and influential group in Goa for questioning.

Speaking to news persons while leaving the AAP office, Palekar said that the ED has asked them to present the statement of accounts, bank statements for the last 5 years as well as other documents, including bills of expenses on printing, banners, hoardings, etc.