Trouble continues for AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal following the Union Home Ministry authorised the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to prosecute the former Delhi Chief Minister under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in link with his alleged involvement in money laundering related to the liquor scam case, according to the media reports.
The MHA granted the required sanction to the ED for prosecuting Kejriwal under the anti-money laundering law in the Delhi excise policy case, officials said. This development comes ahead of the Delhi Assembly which is scheduled on February 5. The former chief minister was called the “kingpin and key conspirator” of the Delhi excise “scam” by the ED.
The ED had earlier claimed that AAP, being a political party, is defined as an association or a body of individual citizens of India under the Representation of the People Act and hence it can be categorised as a “company” as contemplated under Section 70 of the PMLA. As Kejriwal was “in-charge of and responsible” for the said company i.e. AAP during the time of offence, he and his party “shall be deemed guilty” of offences mentioned under the anti-money laundering law and liable to be prosecuted and punished, it had said.
The excise case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped. Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena had recommended a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities. Subsequently, the ED registered a case under the PMLA.Taking cognisance of a CBI FIR lodged on August 17, 2022, the ED filed its money laundering case on August 22, 2022 to probe the alleged irregularities.
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