New Delhi, Jan 18 (NationPress) The Delhi BJP has initiated a strong critique against AAP leader Manish Sisodia, demanding clarification regarding the conditions under which his family secured loans amounting to Rs 1.5 crore from three acquaintances amidst the liquor policy scandal.

During a joint press briefing, Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva and New Delhi MP Bansuri Swaraj expressed concerns about the former deputy chief minister's declarations in his election affidavit concerning educational loans acquired by his family for their son's higher education in Canada.

Sachdeva remarked that typically, education loans are obtained from banks, yet Sisodia appears to borrow from business associates.

“The details in Manish Sisodia’s election affidavit raise significant questions, suggesting that while he makes fixed deposits in banks like a regular individual, he relies on friends for substantial loans when needed, even on a long-term basis,” he stated, probing the undisclosed conditions under which the Rs 1.54 crore loans were provided to the spouse of the former minister who crafted the contentious liquor policy.

Swaraj commented that both Kejriwal and Sisodia advocate for transparency in governance, yet their election affidavits have cast them in a dubious light.

“They need to elucidate how Kejriwal's income is so minimal, while Sisodia must justify why he opted for loans from individuals rather than banking institutions and disclose the identities of his three lending acquaintances,” she asserted.

Sisodia’s affidavit reveals that his wife holds outstanding loans for their son’s education, including Rs 86 lakh from Romesh Chander Mittal, Rs 58 lakh from Guneet Arora, and Rs 10 lakh from Deepali.

The affidavit identifies his son Meer Sisodia as a dependent and details accounts set up at Scotiabank, 392 Bay Street, Toronto, where the AAP leader has established three separate accounts to manage funds for his son's education. Additionally, it shows foreign exchange assets of approximately Canadian $3,980 (Rs 2.4 lakh) in that foreign bank.

BJP leaders are now questioning the conditions under which Sisodia's wife, who is implicated in the excise policy case and currently on bail, secured personal loans of Rs 1.54 crore, particularly given that Sisodia has declared his family’s total assets to be merely Rs 57 lakh.

Delhi BJP media chief Praveen Shankar Kapoor asserted that whether it concerns Kejriwal or Sisodia, the sources of their loans and their unusual income during the period from 2020-21 to 2023-24 remain questionable.

“We are not accusing anyone but are seeking clarifications on behalf of the citizens of Delhi,” he remarked.

Sachdeva reiterated his inquiries to Kejriwal regarding the understatement of his income in the election affidavit submitted when he filed his nomination for the New Delhi constituency.

The Delhi BJP chief reiterated his query to Kejriwal -- How can your income tax returns over the past decade indicate income lower than your basic salary, yet during the COVID year, when the liquor policy was devised, your income saw a 40-fold increase?