Arvind Kejriwal Attacks Goa Chief Minister For Defending Bribe-Accused Kin

Panaji:  Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today criticised Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar for defending his brother-in-law, who was reinstated in government service despite graft charges against him.

“What signal is the Chief Minister sending to the people? If it was my brother-in-law, I would have cut off my relations with him and ensured that he stays in prison,” Mr Kejriwal said during an interaction with small and medium hoteliers at Calangute village today.

Dilip Malavankar, the brother-in-law of Mr Parsekar, working for state-run Goa Industrial Development Corporation, was caught last year while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs. one lakh for allotment of land in Tuem Industrial Estate.

He was recently reinstated in the service even as the Anti-Corruption Bureau is investigating the case against him.

Mr Parsekar had recently defended his brother-in-law’s reinstatement in government service despite graft charges against him, saying “law is equal for all”.

Meanwhile, the Delhi chief minister also alleged that drugs and prostitution were continuing unabated in the coastal state in the name of tourism because of political patronage.

“Drugs and prostitution are bringing bad name to Goa. We need to change it. The tourism in Goa is being defamed because of this,” he said.

Mr Kejriwal, who arrived in Goa yesterday, met fishermen yesterday and today he met hospitality industry stakeholders.