The Delhi High Court on Wednesday is all set to hear Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's plea against his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi liquor policy scam case. The Delhi CM has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court against his arrest and the trial court's custody.
In this petition, Kejriwal has also sought interim relief in the case. The matter has been listed before Justice Swarna Kanta Sharma and will be taken up at 12:30 pm.
The ED on Tuesday filed its affidavit in response to his plea claiming that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief was the "kingpin of the liquor policy scam" and a "key conspirator" guilty of the offence of money laundering.
The petition also said that Arvind Kejriwal waived his right to question his arrest when he did not oppose custody before the trial court. The central agency also mentioned that AAP is the major beneficiary of the proceeds of crime generated in the liquor scam.
"Part of the proceeds of crime to the tune of cash of Rs 45 crore approx has been utilised in the election campaign of AAP in Goa Assembly elections 2022," the ED said. The ED also claims that the AAP committed money laundering through Kejriwal.
Furthermore, the central agency alleged that under Arvind Kejriwal's supervision, the AAP received kickbacks for bringing favorable liquor policy from accused. The central agency further alleged that bribe money in the Delhi Jal Board scam also transferred to the AAP coffers as election funds.
"Out of the Rs 24 crore payment received by DJB, only approximately Rs 14 crore was allocated towards the contract work, with the remaining funds being siphoned off or used for bribery. Jagdish Kumar Arora, received a bribe amounting to Rs 3.19 crore, a portion of which, Rs 2 crore, was transferred to other Delhi Jal Board officials and the Aam Aadmi Party as election funds," said the ED.
The case is related to alleged corruption and money laundering in the creation and execution of the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which was later abandoned.