New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party MLA Mahender Goyal laid out wads of cash at the Delhi Assembly Wednesday, claiming it was a bribe given to him by a private contractor of a city government hospital.
Goyal said there were efforts by “powerful” people to silence him from exposing the irregularities in hiring temporary staff at the Babasaheb Ambedkar Hospital in Delhi’s Rohini.
He complained the hospital staff was not paid full salary though a tender for their recruitment was issued and money collected by those floating the tender.
He accused contractors of collecting money from staff, adding that he had reached out to the Delhi Lieutenant Governor (L-G) office, his Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as well as the police on the matter.
“They (contractors) told me to not raise my voice and keep the money. I have met the L-G on this matter. I’ve also written a letter to him. I’ve written to the CM as well and knocked on every door, but no investigation was done. I’m putting my life at risk and saying this here because the people involved are very powerful. They can do something to me as well,” Goyal told the Delhi House.
“This is the amount they gave me as token money (to strike a deal). I had written to all that this was bribe money and that I wanted to catch them red-handed. But there was no investigation into my complaint. This is the money. This is the bundle. And I’ve kept it safe,” he said, while displaying the cash.
“I tell the opposition and the ruling party that there should be no politics on this. I am raising an issue of the people. Assembly members come to the House to raise the voice of the people,” he added.
He also said he had asked the Delhi Police for security, fearing threat to his life.
The office of the Delhi chief minister, the L-G, and the Aam Aadmi Party are yet to respond to Goyal’s claims. Delhi assembly speaker Ram Niwas Goel has, however, referred the matter to the petitions committee of the House.
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