Sanjay Singh's name in ED chargesheet typographical error, AAP trying to deflect attention from corruption: BJP

The BJP slammed the AAP on Wednesday, saying it is making a hue and cry over a reference to its MP Sanjay Singh's name in the Delhi liquor ''scam'' case chargesheet only to divert people's attention from corruption in the Arvind Kejriwal government.

Addressing a press conference, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said the mention of Singh's name in the chargesheet filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) was a ''genuine typographical error'' on the part of the agency, which filed an application before the court for correcting it immediately after it came to its notice.

The ED filed the application before ''the appropriate judicial forum'' for a correction in the chargesheet on April 20, before the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP sent a legal notice to the federal agency on April 22, Poonawalla said.

''It was a genuine typographical error and the investigating agency took immediate action to correct it,'' he added.

The BJP leader accused Singh and Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj of spreading ''lies'' and running a propaganda to ''deflect public attention from corruption'' and ''lower the morale'' of the ED, which is probing the alleged liquor scam in the national capital.

''At a press conference on Wednesday, Saurabh Bharadwaj said the ED has apologised to them. Read the ED notice and tell people in which sentence has the agency apologised,'' Poonawalla said.

He added that AAP leaders are raising questions on the ED's credibility even though the conviction rate in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases probed by the agency is 96 per cent.

''They only want to divert attention from the issue, that is why they are making a hue and cry over a typographical error,'' Poonawala charged, adding, ''It is a clear-cut case of selective thinking, defective hearing, defective reading and strategic silence.'' ED sources said Singh's name appears four times in the chargesheet, out of which one reference is wrong as his name was typed ''inadvertently'' in place of Rahul Singh's name.

Rahul Singh was the Delhi excise commissioner when the liquor policy was formulated.

''Saurabh Bharadwaj says the ED is harassing them (AAP leaders). Sanjay Singh's name is still there three times. He is not saying anything about it. If you are so innocent, please tell people why you could not get the liquor scam FIR quashed since it was registered,'' Poonawalla said.

The BJP leader also raked up the issue of renovation of Chief Minister Kejriwal's official residence and questioned the AAP's silence on how an amount of Rs 45 crore was spent on it.

''The LG (lieutenant governor) has initiated action in the matter and asked for securing the files. We welcome it,'' Poonawalla added.