The Rouse Avenue court has remanded Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal into the custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) until March 28, following allegations of his involvement in irregularities surrounding the 2021-22 Delhi excise policy. Described as the “kingpin” and “key conspirator” by the ED, Kejriwal, also the convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), faces accusations of formulating policies to favor select individuals and demanding kickbacks from liquor businessmen.
In a 32-page remand application, the ED outlined Kejriwal’s purported role in the money laundering scheme, attributing the AAP’s benefits to the proceeds of these illicit activities, which were allegedly utilized during election campaigns. The agency asserted that Kejriwal, as the CM of Delhi and head of the AAP, facilitated the offense of money laundering through his position.
Kejriwal’s legal team, comprising senior counsels Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Vikram Chaudhary, and Ramesh Gupta, refuted these claims, denying any direct evidence against their client. They argued against the plea for remand, dismissing it as based on statements from accused individuals seeking leniency.
The ED alleged that the AAP received approximately ₹100 crore in bribes, with Kejriwal allegedly orchestrating the utilization of around ₹45 crore in Goa’s 2022 election campaign. The remand application further detailed cash payments made to individuals involved in campaign activities, implicating AAP members Vijay Nair and Durgesh Pathak.
Linking Kejriwal directly to the generation and use of kickbacks, the ED emphasized his supposed involvement throughout the entire conspiracy, from policy formulation to executing the kickback scheme. Additionally, the agency claimed to have found documents during a search at Kejriwal’s residence containing information about two senior ED officers, suggesting an attempt to gather details about their work.
The accusations and subsequent legal proceedings shed light on a complex web of alleged corruption and money laundering, implicating high-profile figures in the political landscape of Delhi.
