Legal troubles facing Indian opposition politicians

[March 24, 2023]  NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Indian Congress party lawmaker Rahul Gandhi, who was disqualified from parliament on Friday, joins a long list of opposition leaders who have called investigations against them political vendettas.   

Members of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) confront with police during a protest against the arrest of Delhi's Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in New Delhi, India, February 27, 2023. REUTERS/Francis Mascarenhas/File Photo

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has denied allegations of political interference in the investigations and says the law is the same for everyone.

Following are some high-profile investigations against opposition leaders in recent months:

MANISH SISODIA, AAM AADMI PARTY, DELHI

Sisodia, the second-in-command of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which wrested control of Delhi's city government from Congress in 2013 and is seen as one of Modi's main opponents, was arrested last month on allegations of corruption.

Sisodia and his party have denied wrongdoing. The arrest was in connection with an investigation into a liquor policy introduced by Delhi's city government last year. He is being held on remand in jail.

SATYENDAR JAIN, AAM AADMI PARTY, DELHI

Jaon, Delhi's former health minister, was arrested by the financial crime agency in a case of alleged money laundering last year, a charge his party denies. He is also being held on remand.

TEJASHWI YADAV, RASHTRIYA JANATA DAL, BIHAR

Yadav, deputy chief minister of the eastern state of Bihar, has been summoned multiple times in recent months by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with a probe into charges of corruption, media say.

In May, the CBI also filed a corruption case against Yadav's father, Lalu Prasad Yadav, a former federal railway minister, and other members of his family, alleging that they bought dirt cheap land in exchange of jobs during Lalu's term from 2004 to 2009, according to media. Yadav, his family and party deny wrongdoing.

SONIA GANDHI, MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT, CONGRESS

Former Congress president and Rahul Gandhi's mother Sonia Gandhi last year was questioned by the financial crime agency which is investigating allegations of money laundering against the Gandhi family. The family denies wrongdoing.

K. KAVITHA, BHARAT RASHTRA SAMITHI, TELANGANA

Kavitha, a regional lawmaker in the southern state of Telangana, is also being investigated by the financial crime agency on charges of money laundering in connection with the investigation into the Delhi liquor policy, media say. She denies the allegations.

(Reporting by Shivam Patel in New Delhi; Editing by Nick Macfie)

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