Arvind Kejriwal
The Delhi High Court is scheduled to hear plea of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal challenging his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scam case. Kejriwal has lodged a petition against his arrest and the trial court’s custody, seeking interim relief in the matter. The hearing is set before Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma and will commence after 10:30 am.
In response to Kejriwal’s plea, the ED filed an affidavit on Tuesday, asserting that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was the mastermind behind the liquor policy scam and a pivotal conspirator in the money laundering offense. The agency claimed that AAP is a significant beneficiary of the proceeds of crime generated in the liquor scam.
The affidavit alleged that a portion of the crime proceeds, approximately Rs 45 crore in cash, was utilized in AAP’s election campaign during the Goa Assembly elections in 2022. The ED further accused Kejriwal of overseeing money laundering activities within AAP.
Moreover, the central agency contended that under Kejriwal’s supervision, AAP received kickbacks in exchange for implementing a favorable liquor policy from the accused. It also claimed that bribe money from the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) scam was transferred to AAP as election funds.
According to the ED, out of the Rs 24 crore payment received by DJB, only about Rs 14 crore was allocated for contract work, while the rest was either misappropriated or utilized for bribery. Jagdish Kumar Arora, a key figure in the scam, allegedly received a bribe of Rs 3.19 crore, of which Rs 2 crore was purportedly transferred to other DJB officials and AAP as election funds.
The case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which was subsequently abandoned.
Kejriwal’s plea before the Delhi High Court marks a significant development in the ongoing legal battle surrounding the Delhi liquor policy scam, shedding light on the intricate web of allegations and counterclaims between the AAP leader and the enforcement authorities.
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