Following the expose of Panama papers leak, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Thursday demanded resignation of Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, alleging that one of those linked to the ‘Panama Papers’ was the BJP leader’s friend Lokesh Sharma. The party asked Jaitley to reveal what kind of relations he has with Sharma.
He said a free and fair probe into the ‘Panama Papers’ was doubtful as long as Jaitley was in the Union Cabinet.
“Lokesh Sharma, who owns Twenty First Century Media (TCM), is Jaitley’s friend from college days. In the Panama Papers leak, it has been revealed that Sharma opened two shell companies in the tax haven of British Virgin Island and was a promoter in the third,” said Ashutosh, senior AAP leader.
The AAP leader said the government had announced a multi-agency inquiry into the ‘Panama Papers’. “But how will he (Jaitley) investigate charges against his own friend, whom he benefited during his tenure as the DDCA chief?”
Ashutosh said that as the Delhi District and Cricket Association (DDCA) chief, Jaitley in 2002 awarded a contract to build VIP boxes at the Feroze Shah Kotla stadium here to Sharma’s company without floating tenders.