Kejri’s ‘Sheesh Mahal’ symbol of corruption: LoP
Vijender Gupta, Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Assembly, alleged that former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s official residence at 6, Flag Staff Road, also known as the “Sheesh Mahal,” is at the center of a major corruption scandal involving illegal construction and extravagant spending.
Gupta has demanded that Kejriwal come forward and reveal the “dark truth” behind the lavish project, which, according to Gupta, could involve Rs 200 crore of public money.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday, Gupta accused Kejriwal of authorising the demolition of multiple government properties to make way for a grandiose residence.
“Plans were made to demolish eight Type-V flats at 45 and 47 Rajpur Road and two bungalows (8-A and 8-B) to create a massive 10-acre estate for Kejriwal," Gupta claimed.
“These properties included housing for senior administrative officers and their destruction was done without any legal approval," he said.
Gupta pointed out that the demolished buildings were still listed as separate properties in government records, raising questions over the legality of the consolidation into the former CM's residence.
“Despite the demolition and merger of these properties, no official approval was sought. The public remains in the dark about how this was allowed to happen," Gupta said.
Taking a jibe at Kejriwal’s self-proclaimed image of honesty, Gupta accused the AAP chief of indulging in the “luxurious” transformation of the residence when the country was grappling with the Covid-19 pandemic. He alleged that Kejriwal spent crores on extravagant furnishings, including gold-plated commodes, Rs 28-lakh televisions, luxury sofas, and reclining chairs, all while Delhi was struggling with the health crisis.
“The Sheesh Mahal is a symbol of corruption,” said Gupta. “While Delhi residents faced hardships during the pandemic, Kejriwal was busy collecting expensive items for his residence. It is shameful that such indulgences were allowed at a time when the city was battling a crisis,” he said.
Gupta also claimed that the luxurious acquisitions came under suspicious circumstances, with the Public Works Department (PWD) inventory lists for 2022 and 2024 showing discrepancies. “While comparing the 2022 and 2024 PWD inventory lists, we found that the items at the CM's residence were nearly eight times more valuable in 2024 than in 2022," Gupta stated.
Gupta suggested that these lavish items could have been provided by liquor cartels in return for favors under Kejriwal's controversial new liquor policy, which allegedly increased the sales commission from 5% to 12%. "These items may have been gifts in exchange for the benefits provided by the new liquor policy," Gupta claimed.
The BJP leader also revealed that corruption complaints had been filed with the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), leading to an inquiry by the Delhi Vigilance Department. “The Vigilance Department directed the PWD’s principal secretary to submit a report, but no response has been received yet," Gupta said, alleging that pressure from the Delhi Government had stalled the investigation.
Gupta vowed to make the Sheesh Mahal issue a central theme in the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. "Once the investigation is complete, the public will learn the dark secrets behind Kejriwal’s decade-long image of ‘unwavering honesty.’ Kejriwal will have to answer for his actions, and this will be a key issue in the elections," Gupta concluded.
