ED files chargesheet against Kejriwal, AAP named as accused
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday filed a chargesheet against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy-linked money laundering case. This is the eighth chargesheet filed by the ED in this case, but the first to name Kejriwal. The agency has also named the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as an accused in the case. To recall, the federal agency had informed the same on Tuesday during former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia's bail plea hearing.
Why does this story matter?
In November 2021, the Delhi government introduced the excise policy for 2021-22. However, less than a year later, it opted to abandon it following widespread corruption accusations. Central investigation agencies asserted that wholesaler profit margins were artificially inflated to 12% from 5%, promoting cartelization and benefiting ineligible license holders. The Kejriwal-led Delhi administration had refuted the allegations, arguing that the policy would have boosted revenue.
AAP's alleged role in excise policy scam
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleges that liquor companies involved paid kickbacks amounting to ₹100 crore to the AAP, some of which were routed to public servants. According to the ED, the party used the illegally generated funds to campaign for the Goa and Punjab elections
Have evidence linking Kejriwal to 'scam': ED
"We have direct evidence that Kejriwal stayed in a seven-star hotel...whose bills were partly paid by an accused in the case," Additional Solicitor General SV Raju told the Supreme Court on Thursday. The ED told the SC it discovered chats between Kejriwal and hawala operators regarding the alleged proceeds of crime in the excise policy case. The agency claims the chats have been recovered from the devices of hawala operators after Kejriwal refused to share the password of his devices.
Potential repercussions for AAP in liquor policy case
Meanwhile, this is the first time in India's legal history that a political party has been named as an accused in a case. This move could have significant implications for the party. The ED now has options including writing to the Election Commission of India to begin derecognizing the AAP or attaching the party's assets, including its headquarters in Delhi. For this case, the ED is treating AAP as a company with Kejriwal considered its CEO.
