Delhi Assembly Panel to Inspect Kejriwal's Former 'Sheesh Mahal' Bungalow
A Delhi Assembly panel will inspect Arvind Kejriwal's former bungalow on Monday, examining renovation costs that a CAG report said rose to Rs 33.66 crore.
The Delhi Assembly's Public Accounts Committee is set to inspect 6, Flag Staff Road on Monday, the bungalow that served as Arvind Kejriwal's official residence until October 2024 and became the centre of the "Sheesh Mahal" controversy.
The panel, headed by BJP MLA Ajay Mahawar, will examine the work carried out at the property during the Aam Aadmi Party's tenure and the expenditure drawn from the public exchequer. The visit is expected to scrutinise records and approvals linked to the renovation and to seek clarifications from officials on the issues raised in a Comptroller and Auditor General report.
What the CAG flagged
The audit report noted that the renovation was first estimated at Rs 7.91 crore and awarded for Rs 8.62 crore in 2020. By the time the Public Works Department finished the work in 2022, the cost had climbed to Rs 33.66 crore — an increase of 342 per cent.
The CAG said Rs 18.88 crore went towards "superior specifications, artistic, antique and ornamental" items. It also flagged that the built-up area of the bungalow grew from 1,397 square metres to 1,905 square metres.
AAP's counter
On Sunday, AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj challenged the BJP to produce the alleged "golden commode", swimming pool and liquor bar during the inspection. The party has sought permission for the media to accompany the panel and has demanded that photographs and videos of the visit be made public.
AAP has maintained that the BJP built a political campaign around the bungalow using unsubstantiated claims, while the BJP has continued to target Kejriwal over the cost and scale of the renovation.
The issue featured prominently in the BJP's campaign for the 2025 Delhi assembly elections, with the party accusing Kejriwal and AAP of wasting public money on personal luxuries — a charge the AAP has consistently denied. The BJP won 48 seats, while AAP was reduced to 22.
Kejriwal vacated the bungalow after resigning as chief minister under intense political scrutiny. The controversy later resurfaced in Punjab after he shifted his political base to the state following AAP's defeat in Delhi. In 2025, the BJP described a government bungalow in Chandigarh as "Sheesh Mahal 2.0" and accused the AAP chief of enjoying a lavish lifestyle; AAP rejected the charge and demanded proof.
Monday's inspection could open a fresh line of attack on AAP ahead of the Punjab assembly elections.