Rs 40 cr cycle scam:AAP steps up attack

New Delhi: The Aam Aadmi Party has stepped up its attack on the Delhi government over bicycle procurement for schoolgirls, alleging a ₹40-crore scam involving nearly 1.30 lakh cycles and questioning their price, quality and tender specifications.

Senior AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj and party workers distributed pamphlets outside a school in Swami Nagar, Chirag Delhi, on Wednesday to publicise the allegations among parents.

AAP has demanded an independent investigation and registration of an FIR against those responsible for any wrongdoing in the procurement.

Bharadwaj claimed the Education Department paid ₹6,957 per bicycle despite similar cycles allegedly being available in the market for around ₹4,000. Based on the difference, AAP has estimated an alleged loss of nearly ₹40 crore.

The party has also questioned changes allegedly made to tender conditions and claimed that inferior-quality bicycles were supplied.

AAP said the tender specified a ‘Skyler’ model equipped with seven gears, suspension and disc brakes, but alleged that bicycles distributed to schoolgirls lacked these features. It has also questioned whether the model mentioned in the tender was available in the market.

Bharadwaj alleged that components including brakes, tyres and pedals were of poor quality.

AAP has demanded disclosure of the tender conditions, specifications, market value, supplier details and the basis for fixing the price at ₹6,957 per bicycle.

The party plans to distribute pamphlets outside government schools across Delhi and has already protested outside the Delhi Secretariat and Lieutenant Governor’s office.