Delhi CM and top AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal was arrested from his official residence by the ED hours after the Delhi HC turned down his petition requesting against coercive action by the ED in the excise policy case.
The excise policy case is based on the 2021 liquor policy introduced by the AAP government aimed to reform the excise sector by privatising liquor stores and adjusting licensing criteria. The new excise policy was adopted in November 2021.
Within a few months, Delhi Chief Secretary reported gross violations in the policy brought in by the Delhi government. In July 2022, Delhi Lieutenant Governor recommended CBI probe into violation of liquor rules. CBI conducted a raid in August 2022 on Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, three others. Based on the findings, the Enforcement Directorate filed money laundering case on liquor policy on August 22, 2022.
To date, the ED has conducted searches on 245 locations across the country, including Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai and other places. Around 15 persons, including Sisodia, Nair and Sanjay Singh from the AAP, have been arrested.
Sisodia was arrested by the CBI on February 26, 2023. He was later arrested by the ED in a PMLA case originating from the CBI’s FIR.
Last week, BRS leader K Kavitha was arrested by ED in connection with the scam. The BRS leader was arrested hours after a probe agency team conducted searches at her Hyderabad residence.
The ED in its case has alleged that K Kavitha paid Rs 100 crore to top AAP leaders to get benefits of the new Delhi excise policy.
ED has claimed in the past that AAP leaders received kickbacks worth Rs 100 crore in the excise policy. Kejriwal's name has also been mentioned multiple times in the charge sheets filed by the ED. The agency has alleged that the accused were in touch with Kejriwal for formulating the excise policy.
The ED had first issued summons to Kejriwal in October 2023. Since then, Kejriwal had skipped nine summons by the ED. The last summon was issued on Marhc 17, 2024.
ED had said it wants to question him about the alleged Delhi liquor scam and record Kejriwal's statement regarding the formulation of the excise policy and alleged misuse of kickbacks.
Earlier, the ED had filed two complaints before the magisterial court, seeking Kejriwal's prosecution for skipping multiple summonses issued to him in the case. The last complaint was related to Kehriwal not honouring summonses No. 4 to 8 sent under Section 50 of the PMLA.
The ED had earlier moved the magisterial court seeking Kejriwal's prosecution for not attending the first three summonses issued to him in the money laundering case.
After Kejriwal's arrest on Thursday, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said it has moved the apex court for relief. Delhi minister Atishi said that their legal team is headed to the residence of the Supreme Court Registrar to seek an urgent hearing on the matter.