AAP stages protest against Darekar over 'bank fraud', BJP leader calls stir 'nautanki'

AAP party members protest aginst Pravin Darekar near BJP office at Nariman Point. Pic/Bipin Kokate

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday held a protest and demanded the arrest of Maharashtra BJP leader and MLC Pravin Darekar over his alleged role in a "fraud" at Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank, where he is a director.

AAP workers staged the protest in the afternoon in front of the BJP office at Nariman Point in South Mumbai and demanded his resignation.

Darekar, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, hit back at the Arvind Kejriwal-led party, calling its protest a 'nautanki' (drama) and termed fraud allegation against him as baseless.

During the protest, the AAP supporters raised slogans against Darekar.

As the protest outside the BJP office continued, police arrived at the spot to disperse the agitators, an official said.

Mumbai Police took AAP activists into custody for protesting at Nariman Point. Photo/Bipin Kokate

Some of the AAP activists were taken into custody, put into police vans and taken to the Azad Maidan, the city's official protesting ground, he said.

Earlier, in a tweet put out from their official Twitter handle, the AAP Mumbai had informed that they are going to stage a protest in front of the BJP office over Darekar's alleged involvement in a Rs 2,000-crore "fraud" at the bank.

Darekar said he would file a defamation case against AAP leaders.

Speaking to reporters, the BJP leader said, "What the Aam Adami Party did today was nothing but a 'nautanki'. There were hardly 10-12 people protesting against me. The only outcome of this circus was the AAP gaining some publicity."

Commenting on corruption charges levelled against him by the AAP, the BJP legislator said, "I wonder how can one commit a fraud of Rs 2,000 crore when the bank has reported a profit of Rs 15 crore. Such baseless charges will be countered with defamation suits. They can not be the judge of a bank's action when we already have institutions like the judiciary."

"Similar allegations against me have been levelled by Congress leaders such as Bhai Jagtap and Nana Patole. I will take similar action against them as well," Darekar said.

The BJP leader is facing a case of alleged cheating, filed by AAP leader Dhananjay Shinde, for contesting elections for the post of director on the board of Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank from the labour category.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday extended by two weeks the interim protection from arrest granted last week by a sessions court in the city to Darekar in the cheating case.