Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is set to take his case to the Supreme Court seeking protection from potential coercive actions by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). This move comes after the Delhi High Court declined to grant him interim protection on Thursday. Kejriwal, who also serves as the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), approached the high court following the ED’s ninth summons requiring his appearance before them on Thursday. The summons are related to an ongoing investigation into alleged corruption and money laundering surrounding the formulation and execution of the Delhi government’s excise policy for the fiscal year 2021-22, a policy that was subsequently scrapped.
Last year, former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was arrested in connection with this case, followed by the apprehension of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh in October. Additionally, BRS leader K Kavitha was recently arrested in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case. In a statement released after Kavitha’s arrest, the ED implicated Kejriwal as a conspirator in what it terms the ‘liquor policy scam.’
The press note from the ED alleged, “ED investigation revealed that Ms. K Kavitha along with others conspired with the top leaders of AAP including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia for getting favors in the Delhi Excise policy formulation and implementation.” It further stated, “In exchange for these favors, she was involved in paying ₹100 Crore to the leaders of AAP.” The note also detailed a scheme where illegal funds in the form of kickbacks from wholesalers were generated for the AAP through acts of corruption and conspiracy in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
The ED asserted, “Further, Smt. K Kavitha and her associates were to recover the proceeds of crime paid in advance to AAP and to further generate profits/proceeds of crime from this entire conspiracy.” Kejriwal’s move to seek protection from the Supreme Court indicates a significant escalation in the legal battle surrounding the allegations against him and other AAP leaders. It underscores the high-stakes nature of the case and its potential implications for the political landscape in Delhi.
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