Did Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal name two AAP ministers in liquor policy case?
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal
Indian law enforcement agency, Enforcement Directorate (ED), made a bold claim on Monday (Apr 1) that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal named Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and state ministers while being questioned in connection with the liquor policy case. He reportedly took Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj's names.
The probe agency stated that Kejriwal said"Vijay Nair didn't report to him but to Atishi Marlena and Saurabh Bharadwaj and his interaction with Vijay Nair was limited [sic]." Vijay Nair is one of the accused in the liquor policy case. He is the former communication-in-charge of the AAP.
On March 21, the ED arrested Kejriwal from his residence in the alleged excise policy scam. The ED is pursuing Kejriwal in two cases, 1) the Delhi liquor excise policy case, and 2) Another case related to alleged kickbacks in a Delhi Jal Board contract to a private firm.
ED's custody ended on April 1 but alocal courtsent him to jail till April 15.
Before he was shifted to the Tihar Jail, the court allowed him to meet his wife Sunita Kejriwal and ministers Atishi and Bhardwaj.
Kejriwal was presented this morning in Delhi's Rouse Avenue court before the expiry of his custody with the probe agency. ED told the court that he had been "uncooperative" and was giving evasive answers, further stating that the AAP chief did not reveal the passwords of his digital devices.
While responding to the latest development,AAP leader Jasmine Shah said that ED's claim "made me laugh". Shah further added that whenNair was first detained, he already revealed that he did not report to Kejriwal.
"Vijay Nair had said this when he was detained. Vijay Nair had said that I do not report to the Chief Minister, but to Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj. Now the question arises why ED gave the same statement after one-and-a-half years?" Shah asked.
What's the case all about?
The liquor policy case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy.
The Delhi government had implemented the policy on November 17, 2021. It was, however, scrapped at the end of September 2022 amid allegations of corruption, which AAP denies.
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According to the investigating agencies, the profit margins of wholesalers were increased from 5 per cent to 12 per cent under the new policy.
The agencies have alleged that the new policy resulted in cartelisation and those ineligible for liquor licences were favoured for monetary benefits.
AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are in judicial custody in the case. Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) lawmaker K Kavitha was also arrested recently.
(With inputs from agencies)