Money given to media houses to defame us: AAP

"We will soon be filing civil and criminal defamation cases against the media portal and some channels that have been telecasting the sting operation," lawyer Prashant Bhushan, an AAP leader, said.

"Portions have been edited and deleted to show AAP candidates in bad light. There is political motivation behind the operation. All our members are honest and innocent," party leader Yogendra Yadav said.

The party also said it has appealed to the Election Commission and the Delhi Election Commission to devise rules during election time for media houses so that such sting operations could be certified before being telecast.

"The Election Commission will take a decision on it," added Yadav.

The sting that came out Thursday showed AAP leaders, including Shazia Ilmi, candidate from south Delhi's R.K. Puram, accepting donations without proper verification days before the Dec 4 Delhi assembly polls.