New Delhi: A recent audit of the official residence of former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has uncovered costly renovations, sparking controversy just ahead of the 2025 Delhi elections.
The audit found that Rs 96 lakh was spent on curtains, Rs 39 lakh on kitchen equipment, Rs 4.80 lakh on a minibar, and Rs 16.27 lakh on silk carpets.
These findings have led to the “Sheesh Mahal” controversy, named after the luxurious spending on the residence. Kejriwal left the property after stepping down as chief minister following his involvement in the liquor policy scam case.
Originally, renovation costs were estimated at Rs 7.91 crore in 2020, but the final amount rose to Rs 33.66 crore by 2022. The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report, led by Girish Chandra Murmu, also highlighted discrepancies, including Rs 14 lakh spent on floor tiles, which were initially priced at Rs 5.5 lakh, and a TV console costing Rs 20.34 lakh.
Other costly items included Rs 18.52 lakh for gym equipment and a treadmill, Rs 4.80 lakh for a dining table, and luxurious furniture, such as a Rs 6.40 lakh L-shaped sofa. Rs 18.88 crore of the total spending went towards “artistic and ornamental items.”
Additional expenses included a lift and sliding doors worth Rs 61 lakh, premium marble, and high-end bathtubs and showers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi criticized Kejriwal during a Delhi event on January 3, saying that Kejriwal could have used the money for a “Sheesh Mahal” but chose to focus on public housing instead.
Kejriwal responded by defending his record, saying, “The talk of Sheesh Mahal does not behove a person who built a Rs 2,700-crore house for himself, travels in an Rs 8,400-crore plane, and wears a Rs 10-lakh suit.”
