First, a BJP councillor accused her own party’s South Zone chairman of obscene gestures, abusive language and a ₹70 lakh bribe to buy his post. Then, instead of facing the truth, the BJP scrambled to bury it. AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj exposed that Mayor Raja Iqbal Singh had already acknowledged the complaint in the press—before rushing out a denial. Now, with the woman’s career in BJP’s chokehold and new signatures to save face, the senior AAP leader has thrown the gauntlet at Virendra Sachdeva and demanded a full-blown CBI investigation.
Addressing a press conference, AAP Delhi State President Saurabh Bharadwaj stated, “A BJP councillor has levelled grave accusations against her own party’s South Zone Chairman, Umed Phogat. One allegation pertains to obscene gestures and abusive language, while the other is a direct charge of corruption.”
He continued, “It’s been claimed that Umed Phogat paid ₹70 lakh to the BJP in exchange for the chairman’s post. This is not just any bribe—it directly questions the ideological foundation of the BJP. If a party takes ₹70 lakh to appoint someone as chairman, it raises serious questions. Who took the money? Who in the BJP accepted it? Even BJP Delhi State President Virendra Sachdeva stands implicated by implication.”
Saurabh Bharadwaj said that I did not reveal the councillor’s name nor show her letter to the media in yesterday’s press conference. I didn’t want to. But the BJP went into panic mode soon after. By evening, a letter was hurriedly released by the Mayor written by the same councillor which stated she never made such allegations, and the letter in circulation forged. She said she only learned about it yesterday.
the BJP’s credibility, he remarked, “When a lie is caught, a hundred more lies are spun to cover it. But lies built on a foundation of deceit will keep collapsing. It’s shameful that a party which calls itself a ‘party with a difference’, a party that preached ‘chaal, charitra, chehra’ (conduct, character, image), is now busy hiding corruption.”
“If there was an accusation, they should have at least investigated it. There may have been a transaction—but clearly, the party isn’t interested. I want to appeal to the BJP’s national leadership: if you still have even a shred of dignity left, at least conduct an internal inquiry into what’s happening in your own ranks in Delhi,” he added.
Recalling the sequence of events, the AAP Delhi State President stated that we held our press conference after news of the allegations appeared in that morning’s newspapers. Navbharat Times, Amar Ujala, and Dainik Jagran all carried the report. In fact, Navbharat Times even named the councillor—Anita Singhal—who is the Deputy Chairman of the South Zone. The person she has accused, Umed Phogat, is the Chairman of the same zone. Both are BJP councillors.
He quoted from the newspaper, “The Deputy Chairperson stated that Chairman Umed Phogat made obscene gestures, used vulgar language, and when confronted, threatened to kill her and her husband. In response, Umed Phogat denied the charges and said that if any threats were made, she should file a police complaint. The Mayor, Raja Iqbal Singh, told the media that he would first hear both sides before making any comment.”
Saurabh Bhardwaj emphasised that this clearly shows that the Mayor had already received the complaint, which was why he gave that quote to Navbharat Times. Providing further details, he added, “Dainik Jagran and Amar Ujala also reported that a physical scuffle took place between Anita Singhal’s husband and Umed Phogat at the residence of BJP leader Ramvir Singh Bidhuri during a lunch gathering. Several senior BJP leaders and journalists were present. Abuse was hurled and fists flew, and party leaders had to intervene and separate them.”
He asked how can the BJP now claim that all of this is fabricated? We also have a video of the altercation. Despite this, the BJP tried to cover it all up by saying they have a written letter from Anita Singhal denying everything.
Showing the original complaint, the AAP Delhi State President added, “She accused Umed Phogat of both obscene behaviour and verbal abuse, and also stated that ₹70 lakh was given to the BJP for the chairman’s post. This letter is dated 18th. However, the BJP is now circulating another letter, allegedly from Anita Singhal, saying the earlier letter is fake.”
Highlighting inconsistencies in signatures, he explained, “Anita Singhal never signs her full name. She always signs as just ‘Anita’, which is also what appears on her official seal. The first letter, the complaint, is signed in cursive as ‘Anita’, matching her usual style. But the second letter, released by the Mayor, is in basic handwriting and signed ‘Anita Singhal’. These are clearly not her signatures.”
To settle the matter beyond doubt, Saurabh Bharadwaj added, “We even obtained a previous official letter from her office, where she signed as just ‘Anita’. It matches the original complaint letter. Here is a letter she wrote on 14th September 2024 regarding an electricity meter request. Even in that, she signed only as ‘Anita’—not ‘Anita Singhal.’”
Slamming BJP’s cover-up attempts, he stressed that the more you try to hide the theft, the more it will come out. It’s a tragedy that a woman councillor’s career is now in BJP’s hands—her livelihood, her future, all under threat. Under such pressure, if she is forced to write another letter tomorrow, and sign however they want, would it be a surprise? The police, ED, CBI—all are under BJP’s control.
Calling out BJP’s desperation, he added, “A woman raises serious complaints—there’s a physical altercation, video evidence, opposition holds a press conference—and BJP, in panic, makes her sign another letter with a new signature. It’s shameful. This doesn’t just expose corruption in BJP; it exposes that the party lacks the will to even investigate it.”
Delivering a sharp rebuke, Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “There’s not just a spot of rot—the entire system is rotten. If someone honest was in place of Virendra Sachdeva, he would have demanded a probe into how and why this letter was written.”
Revealing digital proof, he said, “Anita Singhal’s WhatsApp status briefly displayed the original complaint letter. We have the screenshot. We know exactly which phones it was sent to and from where. We have all the data. BJP shouldn’t assume the world is blind to the truth.”
He proceeded to show a video of the altercation involving Anita Singhal, her husband, and a relative who always accompanies her, and said that the video clearly shows the scuffle between these three and Umed Phogat. Some news channels, including Aaj Tak, have already done digital stories on this incident.
Providing background, he said, “This incident took place during a lunch hosted by BJP MP Ramvir Singh Bidhuri to mark PM Modi’s 11 years in office. Around 20–25 journalists were present, along with several BJP MLAs and councillors. During lunch, an argument escalated between Anita Singhal’s husband, her relative, and Umed Phogat. It turned into abuse and then a physical fight. BJP leaders, including Chandan Chaudhary, had to intervene to break it up.”
Concluding with a demand for accountability, the AAP Delhi State President said, “This is a clear-cut case of criminal offence. An FIR must be filed, and a CBI investigation ordered. The allegation of a ₹70 lakh bribe cannot simply be dismissed. The truth must come out—and it must be investigated at the highest level.”
