NEW DELHI/CHANDIGARH: Amid the ongoing rift within the Aam Aadmi Party, former AAP Haryana leader Naveen Jaihind on Saturday alleged that MP Raghav Chadha was beaten in Delhi and later in a “secret mansion” in Chandigarh over money allegedly extorted from Delhi and Punjab. Jaihind described Chadha as Arvind Kejriwal’s “raazdaar” (confidant) and “maaldaar” (wealthy), claiming that funds initially intended for Singapore were reportedly diverted to London by Chadha.
According to reports, Jaihind said, “Raghav Chadha is Kejriwal’s raazdaar, and the real dispute is about money extorted from Punjab and Delhi. He was made to stand like a rooster and beaten in Delhi, then beaten at a secret mansion in Chandigarh. This entire matter is about money and corruption, nothing else.”
The controversy intensified following Chadha’s removal as Deputy Leader of the AAP in Rajya Sabha earlier this week. After his removal, Chadha slammed the party leadership, accusing them of silencing his voice. Several AAP leaders responded by alleging that he was “compromised” and fearful of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Chadha, however, hit back on X (formerly Twitter), calling the allegations a “coordinated attack” and denying claims that he refused to walk out of Parliament or sign an impeachment motion against the Chief Election Commissioner. He wrote, “Since yesterday, a scripted campaign has been going on against me. Same language, same words, same allegations. This is no coincidence, but a coordinated attack. At first, I thought I shouldn’t respond. Then I thought that if a lie is repeated 100 times, some people might believe it. So, I decided to respond.”
The matter has sparked a wider debate within the party over leadership, internal decision-making, and alleged corruption, drawing intense media and public attention. Party insiders say tensions continue to escalate, and further statements from both the leadership and dissident factions are expected. (Agencies)
