Lagatar24 Desk
Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has named Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal as the “kingpin” and “key conspirator” in the alleged excise policy scam, asserting that he colluded with other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders to demand kickbacks from liquor businessmen. According to the ED’s chargesheet, Kejriwal and the AAP received bribes in exchange for granting favorable terms under the now-scrapped excise policy.
The ED’s investigation revealed that the proceeds of these bribes, totaling Rs 45 crore, were utilized for the AAP’s Goa Assembly election campaign in 2021-2022. “Arvind Kejriwal is knowingly involved in the use of proceeds of crime thus generated in the Goa election campaign of the AAP to which he is the convener and the ultimate decision-maker,” the agency alleged.
The “South Group,” a collective of liquor businesses, reportedly paid Rs 100 crore to AAP leaders for undue favors, securing access to wholesale businesses and multiple retail zones beyond what was stipulated in the policy. The ED has accused Chanpreet Singh, an AAP worker, of handling bribes worth Rs 45 crore, allegedly funneled through banking channels directly to the AAP, as confirmed by AAP Rajya Sabha MP and national treasurer ND Gupta.
The ED also alleged that Rs 25.5 crore was transferred by Vinod Chauhan to Chanpreet Singh, who then utilized these funds for the Goa campaign. Both Chauhan and Singh are accused in the money laundering case linked to the excise policy scam. The ED’s chargesheet, filed at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court, has led to significant legal repercussions, with the court taking cognizance of the charges on Tuesday.
Additionally, the ED accused Kejriwal of “arm-twisting” wholesalers who refused to pay kickbacks. For instance, the third-largest wholesaler in Delhi, Mahadev Liquor, which refused to pay, was allegedly targeted in Punjab through the misuse of officials, forcing them to surrender their license.
Former AAP communications head Vijay Nair was described as a “very close associate of the CM” and acted as a middleman between the “South Group” and the AAP. Statements from co-accused and approvers, including TDP MP Magunta S Reddy and his son Raghav Magunta, corroborated the allegations of financial transactions and bribery.
The ED’s chargesheet includes statements from Hyderabad-based businessman P Sarath Reddy, who turned approver, revealing a brief meeting with Kejriwal. “Kejriwal told me to trust his guy Vijay (Nair) and that he was very smart and would figure out small or big issues if any arise,” Reddy stated.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in the money laundering case. Although granted interim bail until June 1 for Lok Sabha election campaigning, he surrendered before Tihar Jail afterward. The Delhi Rouse Avenue Court granted him bail on June 20, which was later challenged by the ED in the High Court. The High Court stayed the trial court’s order, and Kejriwal was formally arrested by the CBI on June 26 in a corruption case linked to the excise policy. He remains in judicial custody for both corruption and money laundering charges.
