NCR Minister Kicked Out on Corruption Charges

In an unprecedented move, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal sacked one of his ministers over corruption charges on Friday.

Announcing the dismissal at a hastily called press conference, Kejriwal said the decision was taken as part of AAP’s zero tolerance policy towards graft and dared BJP to sack Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia and Madhya Pradesh’s Shivraj Singh Chouhan on corruption charges.

Khan was sacked for allegedly demanding money from a builder.

Ballimaran MLA Imran Hussain will replace Asim Ahmed Khan, who held the Food and Civil Supply portfolio, in the Delhi Cabinet. “I will not spare even my son if he is corrupt”, Kejriwal said.

The complaint has been forwarded to the CBI.

Kejriwal today dropped Asim Ahmed Khan from his Cabinet on charges of corruption. Sources said Khan, when confronted with the audio clip, had confessed to Kejriwal of his wrongdoing.

In June, Jitender Tomar resigned as law minister after he was accused of faking his college degree.

Between the two models, the chief minister said, people “have to decide which model you support”. There will be no compromise with corruption. I and Manish listened to that audio clip; we did preliminary assessment of that and prima facie. Kejriwal blamed “poisonous leaders” and “dirty politics” for sparking communal tension and said that only the “aam aadmi” (common man) could save the country from such insidious agendas.

The BJP, the only opposition in the Delhi assembly where the AAP has 67 of the 70 seats, and the Congress made light of the minister’s sacking.

Incidentally, Khan has become third AAP MLA and second minister to have his case probed by the party’s internal ombudsman.