TV channels sponsored by Ambani helpless, cannot report about his corruption: Kejriwal

Arvind-KejriwalNew Delhi, Feb 11 : Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday said there are a few channels that were directly sponsored by Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani, and they could not report against him.

He requested the channels which did not fall under this category to stand up for the public and stop acts of increasing corruption that has resulted in the rise of gas prices.

"We know that there are a few TV channels in the country that are directly sponsored by Mukesh Ambani. We also know that there are few media house owners who themselves own gas wells in the country," said Kejriwal.

"We understand the helplessness of these media people, but we would request the channels that do not fall under these categories to stand up for the public and support the cause," he said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has revealed that a case have been filed by the Delhi Anti-Corruption Bureau against two UPA Ministers-Murli Deora and M. Veerappa Moily-and Reliance Industries Chairperson Mukesh Ambani for allegedly conspiring to inflate gas prices in the Delhi/National Capital Region.

Kejriwal said ACB officials filed the cases on the basis of a complaint lodged against Reliance Industries.

"According to the complaint, Reliance was allotted a few gas wells by the state. When a contract was signed in early 2000 between the state and Reliance, it was a 17 year contract, where they had agreed to provide gas at three dollars per unit, but later they increased it to four dollars per unit after conspiring with a few ministers," said Kejriwal.

"They extracted less gas on purpose so that they could blackmail the government. Therefore, where they were supposed to produce 80 percent gas, they generated only 18 percent, leading to an artificial shortage in the country, which later led to gas import, and hence, to a price rise," he said.

"Later, with the help of a few ministers, they passed an order that from April 2014, the price of gas will be doubled to eight dollars per unit. They fixed the rate of gas according to international prices rather than according to the cost of production, as they needed a way to increase the rate," he added. (ANI)