Kejriwal was ‘kingpin’ in excise policy case, claims ED in chargesheet
- In Reports
- 11:55 PM, Jul 10, 2024
- Myind Staff
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been labelled the "kingpin" and "key conspirator" behind the now-scrapped excise policy, according to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) chargesheet. The chargesheet alleges that he, along with other Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, "directly used" part of the alleged Rs 100 crore generated from the "kickbacks" of the Delhi excise policy "scam" by staying in a luxury hotel in Goa.
A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Tuesday took cognisance of the prosecution complaint, filed on May 17, and issued a production warrant for the jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader for July 12.
“…Arvind Kejriwal is knowingly involved in the use of proceeds of crime thus generated in the Goa election campaign of the AAP to which he is the convener and the ultimate decision-maker,” alleged the central agency.
The ED further stated that Rs 45 crore from the proceeds of crime, which were bribes collected from the "South Group," was used for the AAP’s Goa Assembly election campaign in 2021-2022.
The ED earlier alleged that the now-scrapped excise policy was drafted “considering the favours to be granted to the ‘South Group’”.
As per the agency, the ‘South Group’ “secured uninhibited access, undue favours, attained stakes in established wholesale businesses, and multiple retail zones (over and above what was allowed in the policy)”, and paid Rs 100 crore to AAP leaders in return.
The chargesheet also alleges that Kejriwal was aware of and involved in using bribe money for the Goa elections. It includes details of a WhatsApp chat between Arvind Kejriwal and accused Vinod Chauhan, according to the report.
"Arvind Kejriwal has directly used part of these proceeds of crime personally by making Chanpreet Singh (another accused in the case) to make payment for Sh Arvind Kejriwal stay and event at the Grand Hyatt, Goa," the agency claimed.
It said that Kejriwal also "mingled" these proceeds of crime with the funds of the Delhi government.
It has been alleged that the 'South Group' of politicians and liquor businessmen gave Rs 100 crore worth of kickbacks to gain a favourable position in the Delhi excise policy for 2021-22 and out of these funds, Rs 45 crore was sent for the AAP campaign in Goa during the 2022 assembly polls.
"The AAP kept the expenses made out of the proceeds of crime of Rs 45 crore out of the books and did not disclose the same to the Election Commission of India," it said.
In this manner, it alleged, Kejriwal "had the control over the proceeds of crime of Rs 100 crore at each stage, and thus the activity of generation, acquisition and possession, transfer use and concealment and projection of the same as untainted carried out on this proceeds of crime by Sh Arvind Kejriwal".
It was also alleged that the Chief Minister had a role in “arm-twisting wholesalers for not paying kickbacks”.
“…when certain wholesalers were not agreeing to give kickbacks to the AAP in Delhi their businesses were targeted in Punjab through the officials of Punjab. M/s Mahadev Liquor, the third biggest wholesaler in Delhi which has stakes in Ms Deepa Chaddha, was not paying kickbacks. Vijay Nair — by using the excise officials in Punjab – arm-twisted her by closing down on a false pretext her liquor factories in Punjab and then made her surrender the license of Mahadev Liquor and then redistributed the business to their select wholesalers,” alleged the prosecution complaint.
Vijay Nair, former communications in charge of the AAP, was termed a “very close associate of the CM”. He was allegedly the middleman between the ‘South Group’ and the AAP.
The ED also relied on various statements from co-accused and approvers, according to officials. TDP MP Magunta S. Reddy, whose son Raghav Magunta turned approver in the case, stated that BRS legislator K. Kavitha had approached him to engage in the liquor business in Delhi and demanded Rs 50 crore from him to be given to the AAP.
The ED chargesheet further alleged that K Kavitha's PA had sent over ₹25 crore to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) through Vinod during the Goa elections.
The statement by Hyderabad-based businessman P. Sarath Reddy of Aurobindo Pharma Ltd, who also turned approver in the case, was relied upon by the ED. Reddy stated that he had a brief 10-minute meeting with Kejriwal in Delhi.
“In this meeting, Kejriwal told me to trust his guy Vijay (Nair) and that he was very smart and would figure out small or big issues if any arise. He spoke about the new policy which had come and that it will be a win-win for all,” Reddy stated. He had given the statement after allegations had emerged against him during the investigation.
The AAP, which rules Delhi and Punjab, responded to the ED charge sheet on Tuesday saying the BJP-led government at the Centre was hatching a "big conspiracy" against the party and that the political outfit was being finished off.
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 Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Taking cognisance of a CBI FIR lodged on August 17, 2022, the ED filed its money laundering case on August 22, 2022, to investigate the alleged irregularities.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21. He was granted interim bail until June 1 by the Supreme Court to allow him to campaign for the Lok Sabha elections, after which he surrendered before Tihar Jail.
Image source: Indian Express
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