Page 19 - Aap Government

Excise policy scam: Court extends Delhi CM Kejriwal's custody till Sep 25

A Delhi court on Wednesday granted bail to AAP leader Durgesh Pathak in a corruption case related to the alleged excise scam, being probed by the CBI. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja also extended the judicial custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till September 25 in the case. The judge passed the order after the accused appeared before the court in pursuance to its earlier order. The judge had on September 3 taken cognisance of the charge sheet against Kejriwal, Pathak and others, saying there was sufficient evidence to proceed against them. The judge had issued a production warrant for Kejriwal, who is lodged in judicial custody, and summoned Pathak on September 11. The CBI had filed a supplementary charge sheet against Kejriwal, Pathak, Vinod Chauhan, Ashish Mathur and Sarath Reddy a few weeks ago. The central probe agency informed the court last month that it had obtained the requisite sanctions to prosecute Kejriwal and Pathak in the case. The CBI has claimed that the mone

Delhi food minister urges steps to control onion, essential items' prices

Delhi Food and Supplies minister Imran Hussain has directed officials concerned to take effective measures to keep prices of onion and other essential commodities under control, according to a statement issued on Monday. During a meeting, the minister cautioned the food and civil supplies department to be vigilant about the surge in prices of onion and other essential commodities in Delhi, it said. The minister directed food and civil supplies department to instruct the market intelligence unit to depute teams in markets to ascertain the retail prices of essential commodities, the statement issued by the minister's office, said. The minister also instructed the marketing intelligence team to evaluate the difference between wholesale and retail prices of commodities. Officers present in the meeting said average retail prices of onion in Delhi have been stable for some time and are likely to remain stable in the near future as well, it stated. Hussain directed the Supplies departmen

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Kejriwal party to criminal conspiracy in excise case, says CBI; AAP refutes

Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was "party to the criminal conspiracy" of the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy since the beginning, the CBI has alleged in its latest supplementary charge sheet in the case. Concluding its probe with the submission of the fifth and final charge sheet in the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that Kejriwal already had a "pre-conceived idea of privatising" the excise policy, which was scrapped after allegations of corruption surfaced. "He (Kejriwal) demanded monetary support for his party AAP in the month of March 2021, when the policy was being formulated by the GoM headed by the co-accused Manish Sisodia. "His close associate and in-charge of media and communication of AAP (and) accused Vijay Nair was approaching different stakeholders of the Delhi excise business and demanding illegal gratification from them in lieu of a favourable excise policy," the agency has alleged. The AAP has denied the ...

Sunita Kejriwal hails Delhi CM as 'Haryana ka laal', says 'won't bow down'

Sunita Kejriwal accused the BJP government in Haryana of lack of action for the people of the state in 10 years and urged the voters to caste their votes in favour of AAP to build 'a new Haryana'

AAP labels GST on research grants as 'tax terrorism', seeks withdrawal

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) slammed the BJP-led central government on Saturday over the imposition of Goods and Services Tax (GST) on research grants, describing the move as "tax terrorism". The party also demanded a withdrawal of the tax on research grants. For the first time in history, a government is imposing a tax on grants received by research institutes, AAP general secretary (organisation) Sandeep Pathak said at a press conference. The Modi government has issued a notice to all institutes, proposing to impose GST on research grants received since 2017, he said, adding that it was a double layer of taxation since a part of the grants is used on consumables and equipment that are already taxed. Research grants are not taxed in any developed or developing country such as the USA, the UK, Germany, South Korea or Singapore. Imposing GST on research being done for the development of mankind and the country is "tax terrorism", Pathak charged. The Rajya Sabha MP also lashed out at t

Two ex-Goa MLAs were paid in cash by AAP for poll-related expenses: CBI

Two former Goa MLAs who contested the 2022 state Assembly polls on Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) tickets have alleged that they were paid in cash by a party volunteer for meeting campaign-related expenses, the CBI has said in its chargesheet in the Delhi excise policy case. The agency has alleged that of the total of Rs 90-100 crore of ill-gotten money paid by the "South Group" to tweak the excise policy in its favour, an amount of Rs 44.5 crore in cash was sent to Goa for meeting election-related expenses. In its fifth and final supplementary chargesheet in the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that the role of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, along with that of another accused Durgesh Pathak, a Delhi MLA and the AAP in-charge for the Goa polls, has surfaced in the transfer of the ill-gotten money and its use to meet election-related expenditures. The CBI has alleged that two former MLAs -- Mahadev Narayan Naik and Satyavijay Naik -- were approached by Pathak

For jobs, schools, hospitals in Haryana, press jharoo button on Oct 5: Mann

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday told the people of Haryana that if they want good education, jobs and hospitals, they should vote for the AAP in the upcoming Assembly elections. On October 5, the people of Haryana are ready to write a new story, Mann said while addressing public meetings in Kalayat and Jakhal in the Kaithal and Fatehabad districts, respectively. "If you want good schools, good education, good hospitals, jobs... then press 'jharoo' (AAP's poll symbol)," he said. The 90-member Haryana Assembly is set to go to polls on October 5. The counting of votes will take place on October 8. The Congress on Thursday engaged in hectic consultations to explore the possibility of an alliance with AAP for the Haryana Assembly polls, even as some of its leaders expressed reservations over such a tie-up with the Arvind Kejriwal-led party. Addressing the gatherings, Mann claimed, "BJP was on way out in Haryana. Where is development? Corruption and unemployment are at pea

MLA RP Gautam joins Cong, alleges discrimination against dalits, minorities

Former Delhi government minister Rajendra Pal Gautam on Friday quit the AAP and joined the Congress, alleging discrimination against Dalit and minority leaders in the Arvind Kejriwal led party. Minutes after announcing his resignation from the AAP and all posts held by him in the party, Gautam joined the Congress. He has also resigned as AAP MLA from the reserved Seemapuri Assembly constituency. In his resignation letter addressed to AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal, Gautam also criticised the party over appearing "very weak and helpless" before the BJP in raising issues like caste census, raising reservation limit above 50 percent, ensuring population based participation of 'Bahujan Samaj', and defending secularism. "I have to say it with a heavy heart that its impossible to imagine about works of social justice and social equality within AAP," he said in his resignation letter. Gautam said, as a soldier of Babasaheb Ambedkar, he was feeling for sometime that he won't be able to achie

Excise scam: SC reserves order on Kejriwal's bail pleas against CBI arrest

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's separate pleas seeking bail and challenging his arrest by the CBI in the alleged excise policy scam. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan heard arguments put forward by Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, representing the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal. "Thank you for the assistance. Judgment reserved," the bench said after the lawyers concluded their arguments. Kejriwal has filed two separate petitions challenging the denial of bail and against his arrest by the CBI in the the corruption case filed by the central agency. The AAP chief was arrested by the CBI on June 26. The Delhi High Court had on August 5 upheld the arrest of the chief minister as legal, and said there was no malice in the acts done by the CBI which was able to demonstrate how the AAP supremo could influence witnesses who could muster the ..

Excise policy scam: SC begins hearing Kejriwal's plea against CBI arrest

The Supreme Court on Thursday commenced hearing on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's pleas seeking bail and challenging his arrest by the CBI in the alleged excise policy scam. Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for the chief minister, told a bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan that Kejriwal was not named in the CBI FIR and moreover, he is not a flight risk. Singhvi said the top court, while granting interim bail in the money laundering case, had said the chief minister was not a threat to society. What started in August, 2023 has led to arrest in March this year in the money laundering case, he said, adding the top court and a trial court have already granted him bail. The hearing is underway. The top court had on August 23 allowed the CBI to file its counter affidavit in the matter and gave two days to Kejriwal to file a rejoinder. Kejriwal has filed two separate petitions challenging the denial of bail and against his arrest by the CBI in the case. He h

AAP MLA Amanatullah dealt in 'tainted' cash transactions, avoided probe: ED

AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan was dealing with "ill-gotten" money and indulged in "tainted" cash transactions to purchase an immovable property in Delhi, the Enforcement Directorate alleged on Tuesday. The federal agency has arrested the 50-year-old legislator from Okhla on Monday after conducting a search at his house. He was produced before a local court the same day that sent him to four-day ED custody. The agency also charged him with "non cooperation" and "avoiding investigation" in the case claiming he only appeared once out of the 14 summonses sent to him to depose and get his statement recorded by the investigating officer. The money laundering case against the AAP MLA stems from two FIRs, one by the Delhi ACB and the other filed by the CBI to probe alleged irregularities committed during his tenure as the chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board from 2016-2021. He was been charged by the ED and the CBI with committing illegalities in the appointment of Group C and D employees in the De

AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan sent to 4-day ED custody in money laundering case

A Delhi court on Monday night remanded AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan to four-day ED custody in a money laundering case. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) produced Khan before Special Judge Rakesh Syal hours after he was arrested from his home and sought his 10-day custody, stating he was required to be confronted with other accused and evidence in the case. "Four-day ED custody, to be produced on September 6," said the judge who had earlier reserved its order on the ED's application The 50-year-old MLA from the Okhla assembly seat was taken into custody from his residence under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) at 11.20 am. The ED had descended for a search at his residence just after 6 am. The money laundering probe against Khan stems from two FIRs, one registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Delhi Wakf Board-related "irregularities" and another by the Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch related to a case of alleged possession of disproportionate

Kailash Gahlot calls gig workers 'Pradushan Yodha', asks them to adopt EVs

Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gahlot on Monday called gig workers of food delivery companies as 'Pradushan Yodha' (warriors against pollution) as he spoke about the importance of electric vehicles. Addressing thousands of delivery partners, commonly known as 'gig workers', at an event organised by delivery companies Zomato and Blinkit at Talkatora Stadium, he called them the backbone of India's economy. "You are ensuring that millions of people can receive household essentials in minutes and enjoy meals from their favourite restaurants with just a click. Your dedication keeps our cities running smoothly. "Your commitment to your work and to protecting the environment is truly inspiring. The Kejriwal government is with you every step of the way. Together, let's make Delhi pollution-free by adopting electric vehicles (EVs)," he said. Gahlot emphasised the importance of transitioning to electric vehicles and said they are not just a technological change but also a crucial move to

Centre targeting our leaders, MLAs; Amanatullah arrested without proof: AAP

AAP on Monday said its MLA Amanatullah Khan has been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a "false" case and the more the ruling BJP tries to suppress the Arvind Kejriwal-led party's voice, the more vocal it will be. AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh claimed Khan was arrested "without any evidence". The ED on Monday arrested Khan, the MLA from Delhi's Okhla, in a money laundering case against him and some others linked to him, official sources said. Singh opposed the AAP MLA's arrest, questioning if it was a "comedy or probe" by the agencies. "Is this an investigation or a comedy?' he asked in a post on X and claimed the CBI filed charge sheet in the Waqf Board case against Khan in 2016 and six years later said in its charge sheet "no economic offence has been committed". The Anti Corruption Branch(ACB) and the ED filed cases in the matter and Khan got bail after arrest by the ACB. The ED raided his house in 2023 but nothing was found, and in 2024 he was interrogated for

Amanatullah produced before Delhi court by ED in money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate on Monday produced AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan before a Delhi court in a money laundering case. The ED produced Khan before Special Judge Rakesh Syal, where it is likely to seek his custody in the case. He was taken into custody under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after the agency conducted a search at his residence in the Okhla area of the national capital earlier today.

Chronology of events in Delhi excise policy case involving AAP's Vijay Nair

The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to former AAP communication in-charge Vijay Nair in a money laundering case linked the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Following is the timeline of developments in the matter: *Sep 27, 2022: CBI arrests Nair in main corruption case related to Excise policy case. * November 13, 2022: Enforcement Directorate arrests Nair in a money laundering case stemming from the main excise policy case. * November 14: Trial court grants bail to Nair in CBI's main corruption case related to Excise policy. * July 3, 2023: Delhi HC refuses bail to Nair and other co-accused in the money laundering case. *Aug 12, 2024: SC seeks a response of ED on bail plea of Nair. * Sep 2, 2024: SC grants bail to Nair, says liberty is "sacrosanct" and needed to be respected even in cases involving stringent provisions.

SC reiterates 'jail is exception' as it grants bail to AAP's Vijay Nair

The Supreme Court expressed concerns that the ED had not adhered to its timeline for completing the trial, despite earlier assurances, and Nair has been behind bars for 23 months

Excise policy scam: SC grants bail to ex-AAP functionary Vijay Nair

The Supreme Court on Monday granted bail to former AAP communication in-charge Vijay Nair in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam, saying liberty is "sacrosanct". Relying on the legal principle of "bail is rule and jail is exception" cited by a coordinate bench, the top court said pre-trial incarceration cannot be a punishment. A bench comprising Justices Hrishikesh Roy and SVN Bhatti noted that Nair has been in jail for the last 22 months in the money laundering case where the maximum punishment is seven years. On August 12, the bench had sought a response from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the bail plea of Nair. Nair, who was arrested by the agency on November 13, 2022, had challenged the trial court's July 29 order dismissing his default bail plea. On July 3 last year, the Delhi High Court had refused to grant bail to Nair and other co-accused in the money laundering case. The money laundering case stems from a Central Bureau of Investig

AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan says ED team reached his house to arrest him

Senior AAP leader and MLA Amanatullah Khan on Monday claimed that a team of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has reached his house here to arrest him. Sources said the ED team reached his house in Okhla as part of a money laundering investigation. Delhi Police and Central Reserve Police Force teams have been deployed at Khan's residence In a post on X, Khan said, "A ED team has reached my house to arrest me." "Early this morning, at the behest of the dictator, his puppet ED reached my house. The dictator is leaving no stone unturned to harass me and other AAP leader," said Khan, who represents Okhla in the Delhi Assembly. Several Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, hit out at the BJP government at the Centre, saying agencies are targeting those who raised their voice against the ruling party. In a video on X, Khan also said he has been replying to all the notices being sent by the agency. But a team is here to arrest him on a search warrant,