The BJP and Congress on Saturday demanded the sacking of Delhi minister Satyendar Jain after video clips became public that showed a masseur massaging the minister's feet in his prison cell in Delhi's Tihar Jail. The clips also show Jain meeting visitors in his cell. The opposition questioned the "silence" of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
With a fortnight left for the voting for the 250 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD), the Congress, BJP and AAP further upped the ante against each other on Saturday. The polling for the MCD, controlled by the BJP for the last 15 years, is on December 4.
Also Read | Satyendar Jain moves court, seeks contempt proceedings against ED for 'leaking' Tihar video
Jain moved a Delhi court seeking contempt proceedings against the Enforcement Directorate for allegedly leaking the CCTV footage. His party colleague, Delhi's Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, claimed Jain was receiving physiotherapy following a spinal injury. Sisodia is currently in charge of the prison department, earlier held by Jain.
Earlier this week, a Tihar jail superintendent was suspended for alleged involvement in providing special treatment to Jain. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had claimed in a court that Jain was getting special treatment inside the Tihar Jail, including massage and special food, and provided CCTV footage to substantiate the claim.
On Saturday, Special Judge Vikas Dhull issued a notice to the ED seeking its response by Monday on Jain's plea that accused the agency of leaking the CCTV footage "despite an undertaking given in the court" that no material related to the case will be divulged to the media. The BJP played the video at its press conference, with its spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia terming AAP as a "Spa Massage" party. Several other videos were also shared on social media.
Jain is in jail on money laundering charges.