Illegal Bangladeshi immigrant syndicate: AAP MLA appears before Delhi Police after two notices

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party MLA Mohinder Goyal appeared before Delhi Police's Anti-Auto Theft Squad after he was issued two notices over his alleged connection with a syndicate of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants, police sources said.

The first notice was issued on Saturday, and the second the next day, directing him to appear before the investigating team.

Goyal, who represented Rithala in the outgoing Delhi Assembly, was summoned for questioning after documents seized from the immigrants reportedly bore his signature and seal.

"He appeared before the AATS (Anti-Auto Theft Squad) at 3.30 pm and is being questioned by different teams," a police source said.

According to the police, the case stems from the busting of an illegal immigration racket in December with the arrest of 11 people, including Bangladeshi nationals staying in India illegally. The suspects were allegedly involved in forging documents and creating fake websites to produce fraudulent Aadhaar cards, voter IDs, and other identification documents.

Police revealed that further investigations and questioning of the arrested accused led to the uncovering of documents with the signature of the AAP MLA.

With the development coming to the fore in midst of the intense battle for the Delhi Assembly polls, the BJP has questioned AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal's "silence" over the alleged links of his party MLA to the syndicate facilitating Aadhar and Voter ID cards to illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Delhi.

In response, AAP blamed Union Home Minister Amit Shah for the influx of illegal immigrants. AAP Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar alleged that it was Shah's failure that Rohingyas settled across Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and the rest of the country.

The ruling party in Delhi had also alleged that it has become "the BJP's standard operating procedure -- weaponise government agencies to pressure opposition leaders as elections approach, undermining democratic norms".

"The BJP only engages in negative politics -- filing false cases and misusing the state machinery to suppress opposition leaders," the AAP said.