In showcause reply, AAP rebels Bhushan, Yadav pointed finger back at Arvind Kejriwal

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“You also know that there have been serious charges against you yourself, which should have been referred to the National Lokpal, Admiral Ramdas. These included the acceptance of ‘donations’ of Rs 2 crore from shell companies, without taking the approval of the PAC as required by the party’s rules,” Bhushan wrote.

He also said that Khetan was accused of writing a story for Essar, which allegedly created a benaami company in the 2G scam case and then funded an event for a news agency he worked for at the time. While Khetan could not be reached for comment on Monday, he had earlier said that “the story was based on meticulous research and brought out the conflicting government records to show how the CBI was adopting different yardsticks for different accused, thus making a mockery of a sensitive investigation like 2G scam”.

A statement issued by Essar read, “Essar has noticed that an eminent lawyer Mr Prashant Bhushan has made serious allegations against it through a letter made public today. We categorically deny the allegations made as false, baseless and self-serving. Essar has not violated any law of the land and neither has it ever paid anyone for publishing favourable articles.”

All three letters largely ran along the same themes questioning the legitimacy of the National Disciplinary Committee itself, and challenging the National Executive meeting which was held to announce its constitution.

“As per a letter written by Rakesh Sinha, the meeting of the NE held on 28th was also illegal, for some of the members, including him, were not even informed about the meeting. Indeed he had written information to the contrary. That renders all the decisions in that meeting illegal,” he said.

Yadav and Bhushan spoke harshly of the alleged misdemeanours at the National Council meeting on March 28, where they have earlier alleged hooliganism. Yadav’s letter went on to say that “mobs were set on those that dared to oppose this fraud”.

“The party’s leader and the coterie around him have repeatedly violated the letter and the spirit of the party’s constitution. They have also systematically removed any person, forum or institution within the party…Therefore I cannot but laugh at references to swaraj and democratic procedures in the complaint,” Yadav wrote.