Kejriwal, Sisodia Face ED Prosecution as Centre Grants Approval: Sources

Manish Kumar
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Delhi liquor policy case: In a big setback to the Aam Aadmi Party ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, the Union Home Ministry has granted permission to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to prosecute former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his former deputy Manish Sisodia under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The prosecution pertains to their alleged involvement in money laundering linked to the controversial liquor scam case.

This move is set to intensify the ongoing investigation into the alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy, a case that has already drawn significant public and political attention. Both leaders are accused of financial misconduct and corruption in the allocation of liquor licenses during their tenure, a charge they have consistently denied. The authorisation allows the ED to proceed with legal action, adding a new dimension to the high-profile case that has already seen several arrests and allegations of financial wrongdoing.

The Home Ministry approval comes after a special PMLA court in Delhi temporarily halted the framing of charges against Kejriwal, citing the absence of the required sanction for prosecution. Kejriwal had earlier petitioned the Delhi High Court, arguing that the trial court acted prematurely without the mandatory approval for PMLA prosecution. With the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) now granting its nod, the ED is poised to intensify its investigation. This development comes at a critical juncture, just ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections which could impact Kejriwal’s political standing and the Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) public image.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had already filed a chargesheet against Kejriwal under the Prevention of Corruption Act in August 2023, supported by the necessary sanctions. Both agencies allege that Kejriwal and AAP received bribes from the “South Group,” a liquor cartel that allegedly reaped benefits from the controversial Delhi excise policy for 2021-22.

Delhi liquor policy case

The ED and the CBI have alleged that the Delhi government’s excise policy to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge strongly refuted by AAP. The policy was subsequently scrapped and Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the irregularities in its formulation and implementation.

(With agency inputs)

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