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Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal is facing potential arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the alleged irregularities in the city’s excise policy. The ED, India’s federal anti-money laundering agency, has been probing the liquor policy case and has summoned Kejriwal multiple times, which he did not comply with.
AAP leaders Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj had indicated their apprehensions about Kejriwal’s likely arrest by the ED today.
ED’s Allegations
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been relentlessly pursuing its money laundering investigation into the alleged irregularities and corruption in Delhi’s now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22. Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi and chief of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has repeatedly failed to appear before the ED despite being summoned eight times since November 2022, dismissing the summons as “illegal and politically motivated.”
According to the ED’s claims, a conspiracy was hatched by several political leaders, including Kejriwal, his deputy Manish Sisodia, and Bharat Rashtra Samithi’s K. Kavitha (who was arrested last week). The alleged conspiracy involved framing the new excise policy to unduly benefit a “South Group” comprising certain liquor businessmen like Sarath Reddy, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, and Kavitha herself.
The ED alleges that this “South Group” was granted an inordinate number of retail zones – 9 out of the total 32 zones in Delhi – under the new excise policy. Moreover, the policy itself was structured with exorbitantly high-profit margins of 12% for wholesalers and a staggering 185% for retailers, which the agency claims was done intentionally.
As per the ED’s allegations, the conspiracy entailed collecting 6% of the 12% profit margin from the wholesalers as kickbacks, which would eventually make its way to the top AAP leaders like Kejriwal and Sisodia as illegal gratification amounting to ₹100 crores.
While Kejriwal and AAP have vehemently denied any wrongdoing, the ED seems convinced of the Chief Minister’s complicity based on evidence like his name appearing in witness statements, the frequent visits of accused Vijay Nair to Kejriwal’s office, and other documented trails.
“Politically motivated”, says Kejriwal
Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have vehemently criticized the ED’s investigation as being “illegal and politically motivated.” They allege that the probe is a vengeful tactic by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the centre to target their government in Delhi. Kejriwal has portrayed himself as a victim of the BJP’s political vendetta, aimed at maligning his image and that of his party through these corruption allegations. By branding the summons as illegal, Kejriwal seems to be questioning the legitimacy of the ED’s actions and dismissing the charges as baseless.
Going to the SC
Moving swiftly after being denied relief by the Delhi High Court, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urgently approached the Supreme Court in the evening, seeking protection from any coercive action by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the excise policy. The AAP leader rushed to the apex court mere hours after the high court refused to grant him any reprieve, such as bail or quashing of the ED summons, in the ongoing excise police investigation against him.
The article has been modified using artificial intelligence (AI) tools.