AAP, BJP trade charges over Delhi cricket board row

The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) row intensified on Sunday with the Bharatiya Janata Party demanding a public apology from Arvind Kejriwal for levelling allegations of irregularities against Arun Jaitley and Kejriwal's Aam Admi Party hitting back by accusing the finance minister of "running away" from a probe.

Referring to the report of the probe ordered by the Delhi government into affairs of the DDCA, BJP spokesperson M J Akbar told reporters in Delhi that it does name Jaitley.

"The truth is out. The report does not name Jaitley. There is no allegation against him, there is no indication (of wrong doing). The Delhi chief minister, we believe, should apologise to Jaitley for his allegations ... he should publicly apologise. He should also admit his fault in the court (where Jaitley has filed a civil defamation suit against the CM and other AAP members)," he said.

Akbar claimed that after a "conspiracy" by the then Congress government, the Serious Frauds Investigation Office (SFIO) had made an enquiry and found nothing against Jaitley, a former DDCA chief, "though it was a Congress government".

But the ruling AAP in the city hit back saying, "If BJP is so confident that he is clean then why is running away from investigation. They should take it to a logical conclusion. Why is Jaitley running away from enquiry and investigation?"

AAP leader Ashutosh said even the PM has said Jaitley should follow example of L K Advani, who stepped down in the wake of hawala allegations, till he came out clean.

"He should come forward and present an example before the nation. Earlier they rubbished the committee report, but now they are considering it as a sacred book. The report also states that there should be a commission of inquiry into the matter. A whistleblower had alerted the Delhi government well in advance that the formation of the commission will be scuttled through the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi," he claimed.