On Friday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) presented serious charges against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a money laundering case associated with the Delhi excise policy. The ED sought a 10-day custody for Kejriwal, but the court granted custody for 6 days until March 28.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on Thursday night, marking the first instance of a serving chief minister facing such action. He stands accused in a money laundering case linked to the revoked Delhi liquor policy of 2021-22. The probe agency alleges that Kejriwal and his party received kickbacks in exchange for favors.
The probe agency had sought 10-day custody of Kejriwal but the court remanded him to ED’s custody for 6 days till March 28.
Key Charges by the ED Against chief minister Arvind Kejriwal:
* Direct involvement in utilizing proceeds of crime from AAP’s Goa election campaign in 2022.
* Participation in a conspiracy to formulate a liquor policy favoring certain individuals, involving demands for kickbacks. Kejriwal allegedly solicited kickbacks from the ‘South Group’ in exchange for favors.
* Identified as the mastermind behind the Delhi liquor scam, in collaboration with his ministers and AAP leaders.
* Exploitation of his position as Delhi CM to facilitate money laundering by AAP, a major recipient of proceeds from criminal activities.
* Utilization of crime proceeds by AAP for campaigning in Goa before the state elections. The ED has traced these funds and gathered statements from individuals involved in the Goa election campaign.
* Willful disregard of 9 summonses by Kejriwal, and providing misleading information during his statement recording under PMLA.
* Key aide Vijay Nair, former communication head of AAP, allegedly acted as the intermediary between the South Group and AAP.
* Allegations of Kejriwal misusing his authority to monitor ED officials.
The probe agency’s lawyers further alleged a “case history of significant destruction of electronic evidence.”
“The accused destroyed and formatted a large number of phones, making it extremely challenging for the investigating agency to proceed. Despite this, the investigating agency commendably uncovered crucial evidence,” stated the ED lawyers.
Kejriwal’s legal team countered, asserting that no material evidence was presented to demonstrate wrongdoing in the formulation of the excise policy or receipt of proceeds by Kejriwal.
They emphasized that despite over 200 raids in the excise policy case, no incriminating material implicating CM Kejriwal was discovered.
The advocates also accused the ED of misusing its power under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to pursue political vendettas.
Regarding the ED’s granted 6-day custody of Kejriwal, AAP leader Somnath Bharti commented, “The case lacks merit, evident from the reduction of the demand for remand from 10 to six days. The Modi government’s misuse of ED and CBI is widely recognized. They are undermining democracy. The people of Delhi have given Arvind Kejriwal a mandate to govern, and he will fulfill his responsibilities.
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