Aam Admi Party (AAP) on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of “protecting” the chief secretary after he was accused of taking bribes from corrupt officials. AAP demanded a CBI probe into the matter.

Addressing a press conference, senior AAP leader and MP Sanjay Singh said that after Dr Avinash Kumar of Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital accused chief secretary Anshu Prakash and four of his predecessors of taking bribes of Rs 10 lakh per annum to protect the corrupt, a clear message had been sent to people of Delhi “that the BJP is protecting the chief secretary and is standing with the corrupt.”

Singh asked the BJP, “instead of taking strict action against the corrupt, you are taking action against the complainant. This means you have some benefit out of it.”

Dr Avinash Kumar, head of the Medicine Department of Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital in his complaint to the President, Prime Minister’s Office, Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), had given “details and evidence of the alleged cover-up” by the five officials.

The letter dated 15 July listed files and memoranda wherein inquiries were needed but the documents were either dumped or remained pending for action.

Kumar listed over 49 pending cases referred by the Central Vigilance Commission to the Central Vigilance officers in Delhi government.

Singh said the AAP stood by the complainant’s request for CBI probe and demanded that the chief secretary come forward with his reply.

Senior AAP leader Dilip K Pandey also said the way BJP was protecting the corrupt only meant that the party “is getting their fair share out of it.”

Meanwhile, AAP condemned the proposal to amend Right to Information (RTI) Act, saying that it would give BJP a free hand over information commissioners.

“The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is trying to dump the RTI act in the dustbin by amending it. As it gives the BJP power to alter the salaries and allowances of information commissioners, the officers will always be worried at giving out any information against the Modi government,” Singh claimed.