AAP MLA shows wads of currency notes in Assembly, claims hospital contractor tried to bribe him in Feb last year

NEW DELHI, (PTI): Ruling AAP MLA Mohinder Goyal created a flutter in the Delhi Assembly on Wednesday when he showed wads of currency notes claiming a private contractor of a Delhi government hospital tried to bribe him.

He claimed the incident happened in February last year and he went to Delhi Police and Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) officers with his complaint but nothing happened.

Goyal said that there was a threat to his life from ”powerful” people trying to silence him as he alleged irregularities in the hiring of contractual workers at the Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital in Rohini.

”I need protection. My life is in danger,” the Rithala MLA said in the House.

Speaker Ram Niwas Goel said the matter was serious and referred it to the petitions’ committee of the House.

The MLA said he was not deterred by threats and demanded action against the private contractor.

He said that he had informed the police about being offered money by a private contractor of the hospital and had set up a trap to catch them while doing it.

“This money was given to me as a token amount to not raise my voice,” he said taking out two bundles of cash from a carry bag.

The MLA said it was to prevent him from going ahead with his complaints of irregularities in the hiring of contractual staff.

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia told reporters that the incident reported by Goyal was a ”serious” matter.

He alleged that since no action was taken despite the MLA’s complaint to the police, it showed that there was a ”nexus” at the official level.

Goyal said it is a rule that 80 per cent of hired workers will be retained when a new contract is signed, but whoever got the tender hired new workers after taking money from them.

Leader of Opposition Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said he has requested the Lieutenant Governor to conduct a CBI inquiry into the allegations levelled by Goyal.

“This matter seems very suspicious, and the public should know the whole truth. There is a doubt in the mind of the people that if an attempt was being made to bribe the MLA, then why did he not catch the accused red-handed,” Bidhuri said.

Some other AAP MLAs also complained of alleged irregularities in the hiring of contractual staff. (PTI)