Delhi BJP Alleges Rs 200 Crore Widow Pension Scam Under AAP Government

The Delhi BJP on Monday alleged large-scale corruption in the widow pension scheme during the tenure of the previous Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government.

Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said close to Rs 200 crore was misappropriated annually through bogus entries and fake beneficiaries.

"Out of 3.81 lakh women listed as beneficiaries under the widow pension scheme, only 2.98 lakh were found to be genuine. This leaves a massive discrepancy of over 83,000 fake entries, which points to a systematic siphoning of public funds meant for some of the most vulnerable women in society," Mr Sachdeva told reporters.

He alleged this scam persisted year after year under the AAP government, resulting in a loss of roughly Rs 200 crore annually to the state government.

"This is not just a financial fraud; it is moral bankruptcy. They exploited the pain and hardship of widows for political and personal gain," Mr Sachdeva said.

Calling it a "widow pension scam," Mr Sachdeva demanded an immediate and thorough investigation by the Rekha Gupta-led Delhi government. He urged that current and former MLAs, ministers, and officials involved during the AAP regime be held accountable and charged under relevant provisions.

The Delhi BJP chief also raised questions about where the money diverted from the pension scheme actually went. "Delhi deserves to know who benefited from this loot. The AAP must answer," he said.

While the AAP has not yet responded to the allegations, the accusations are likely to escalate political tensions in the national capital, especially with the BJP pressing for punitive action against top AAP functionaries.