The controversy over Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal's house refuses to die down with the new accommodation he is planning to shift stuck in a legal tangle over ownership.
Kejriwal is to shift to 4B Flag Staff at Civil Lines which belongs to Naren Jain. However, Jain's brother Virendra has now claimed that the matter is in court as there is a property dispute between him and his siblings and so it cannot be rented out without court's order.
"I came to know from the media that the property was being given on rent and figured out that renovation was on," Virendra said.
"The property is under dispute and the Delhi high court has given an order that status quo should be maintained. Under this, the property cannot be rented out to anyone whereas my brother has already decided to rent it out. This is a clear violation of the court's order," he said, adding that he will approach the court over the matter.
Naren has refuted the allegations saying this was Congress' ploy not to allow Kejriwal to shift into the house. "The court has indeed asked us to maintain the status quo. Under this we cannot sell or dispose of the property, but we can certainly give it on rent."
"This is Congress' ploy and it is using my brother and making him a scapegoat. Our
Jain is the son of former Congress MP Bhiku Ram Jain.
The 4B Flag Staff at Civil Lines has four bedrooms and bathrooms, a kitchen, a dining room and a hall. It also has a barsaati, basement and small gardens in front and rear of the house.
The house once belonged to Salman Rushdie's father, but it was sold out in 1960s. The property was bought by Jains in 2005 and has been lying vacant since then.
"We thank Naren Jain for offering his house to Arvind Kejriwal. He will shift in this house in Civil Lines area of Delhi after repair and renovation work. The rent of the house will be decided mutually."
"The government accommodation allotted to him will be vacated soon. We take this opportunity to thank all those people who offered their houses to Kejriwal," a statement from the former Delhi chief minister's office said last week.
Search for Kejriwal's residence began after he decided to vacate his government accommodation at the Tilak Lane. He had informed the authorities that he would vacate the house in July only after completion of his daughter's exams and also pay rent at the market price.
Image: Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal wants to shift to 4B Flag Staff at Civil Lines
