BJP leader caught on camera taking ‘bribe’, refutes charge

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 16

An alleged video clip of councillor Chanderwati Shukla’s husband in which he is seen taking money went viral on WhatsApp today.

In a seemingly old video, BJP leader Papu Shukla is seen taking money. A man asks him to take money for “chai pani” for doing his work. He also asks the councillor’s husband whether he should give him money there or somewhere else. To this, Papu replies, “It is no issue; you can give it to me here only.”

When contacted, the BJP leader said, “Yes, it is me in the video. But, it seems to be two-three years old. The incident appears to have taken place at the labour chowk. I am bargaining for some construction work at a kothi since I am into this business. Or it could be for some donations.”

Earlier, a purported telephonic conversation between BJP councillor Bharat Kumar and a representative of Lion Company, which was given mechanised sweeping contract of Rs 4.26 crore per month, regarding alleged “setting” had gone viral.

City Congress president Pardeep Chhabra said, “It shows the BJP is neck deep in corruption. Its leaders have been caught several times taking money. The act is shameful. They have failed to run the MC properly.” He demanded an independent CBI probe into the incident.

Notably, an audio conversation between a door-to-door waste collector and a contractor in which Rs 2,000 per collector’s rehri is being sought in the name of BJP councillor Vinod Aggarwal had gone viral.

The name of an Independent councillor, Daleep Kumar, had also cropped up in similar allegations.