The Enforcement Directorate has informed the Delhi High Court that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will be implicated as an accused in the alleged liquor policy scam, marking a significant development in the ongoing investigation. This would be the first instance of a political party being named as an accused in such a case. The probe, which has already seen three prominent AAP leaders, including Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, being incarcerated, is now extending its scope to involve the entire party.
The Enforcement Directorate is particularly scrutinizing the money laundering dimension of the alleged scam. The decision to include AAP as an accused comes shortly after the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Mr. Kejriwal to enable his participation in the Lok Sabha elections.
The Supreme Court had previously questioned why the AAP had not been named as an accused despite the ED’s assertions that it had benefited from purported kickbacks in the liquor policy case. The court’s inquiry was primarily focused on legal grounds rather than implicating any specific political entity.
Officials have likened the treatment of the AAP to that of a company, with Arvind Kejriwal being analogized as its CEO. This classification aligns with the broad definition of a company under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), thus facilitating the ED’s investigation.
The BJP has seized upon the ED’s decision, alleging that the alleged kickbacks were utilized by the AAP during the 2022 Goa elections. BJP Spokesperson Tuhin Sinha characterized the AAP as “the biggest scam in the history of Indian politics” and emphasized that the party should acknowledge its involvement. He also addressed concerns about the alleged misuse of central agencies by stating that the AAP has competent legal representation to address the situation.
In summary, the Enforcement Directorate’s decision to implicate the AAP as an accused in the liquor policy scam underscores the widening scope of the investigation and sets a precedent for political accountability in such cases.
