Delhi liquor policy 'scam': Setback for AAP as ED names party as accused

Delhi liquor policy scam updates: Enforcement Directorate says it will file the prosecution complaint today, naming the AAP as an accused

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday told the Supreme Court it has named the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as an accused in the Delhi liquor policy case.

The statement was made by Additional Solicitor General (ASG), SV Raju during the top court’s hearing in AAP leader and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's petition challenging his arrest by the ED.

The ASG said that the prosecution complaint will be filed today by the ED, in which the AAP has been named as an accused.
 

This will be the ED’s ninth supplementary charge-sheet in the case.

The development followed two days after the probe agency had informed the Delhi High Court of its intention to designate AAP an accused in the case.

The case pertains to a money laundering probe linked to the alleged irregularities in the now scrapped Delhi liquor policy 2021-22.

Several of AAP’s top leaders, including its national convenor Kejriwal, senior leader Manish Sisodia and MP Sanjay Singh have been arrested in the case by the probe agencies.

Kejriwal and Singh are currently out on conditional bails.

The probe agency has alleged Kejriwal to be the “kingpin” of the excise “scam,” in which he demanded Rs 100 crore bribe from certain businessmen in exchange of tweaking the excise policy framework in their favour.

The probe agency claimed that the bribe was used by the AAP in the Goa assembly poll campaign in 2022.

The ED has also alleged the involvement of a “south group', an alleged coalition of liquor businessmen and politicians, which paid bribes to have the policy formulated in their favour. According to the probe agency, Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader, K Kavitha, is also an accused in the matter, allegedly linked with this “south group”.

The probe was launched into the case two months after Delhi LG VK Saxena assumed office in May 2022. After the allegations of wrongdoings, the policy was rolled back in July 2022.