Meerut: BJP has swung into a damage-control mode over a purported video allegedly showing Shahjahanpur municipal corporation councillors swearing on Gangajal and holy books to divide illegally gotten civic revenue “equally and fairly” among themselves, with district president Shilpi Gupta seeking written explanations from the corporators.
Of the corporation’s 60 councillors, 41 supposedly belong to BJP. Dhirendra Singh Chauhan, BJP councillor from ward 24 and one of those purportedly seen in the clip, has denied any wrongdoing, claiming the vow was unrelated to revenue-sharing and stemmed from a 2025 birthday gathering where councillors pledged not to favour a company facing complaints. Stay updated with the latest Bareilly news.
She said that if their responses fail to satisfy the party, she will forward a report recommending action to the state unit. Gupta issued notices to those BJP councillors identified in the video and set a three-day deadline for their replies. Municipal commissioner Saumya Gurjar has ordered a team to investigate the matter after taking cognisance of the video. He alleged the video was doctored before being leaked online. Opposition parties, including Congress and Samajwadi Party, have seized on the footage to allege large-scale corruption within the corporation. TOI could not independently verify the authenticity of the video. The corporation is yet to issue an official statement on its contents. Download the TOI App.
The video, which surfaced on Tuesday, shows councillors purportedly holding holy water and vowing to share proceeds from the civic body, with warnings against anyone who reneged on the pact.