CM Kejriwal was “party to the criminal conspiracy” of the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy since the beginning, said CBI in its latest supplementary chargesheet.
New Delhi: In the latest development in the Delhi Excise Policy Case, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in its supplementary chargesheet, stated that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was ‘party to the criminal conspiracy’ in the formulation and implementation of the policy from day one. While concluding its investigation by submitting the fifth and final chargesheet in the alleged liquor scam case, the central probe agency alleged that the Delhi CM had already plotted a ‘pre-conceived idea of privatizing’ the excise policy. However, the policy was later scrapped following allegations of corruption.
“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 allegations.
Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Tihar jail while he was lodged there in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The Supreme Court’s verdict on his petition challenging the arrest by CBI is awaited.
In its submissions, the CBI further alleged that Vijay Nair acted as a conduit for Kejriwal to contact the accused persons of the “South Group” headed by co-accused and BRS leader K Kavitha and obtained Rs 100 crore from them in lieu of a favourable excise policy.
As the chief minister, Kejriwal had a role in “processing and approval of the manipulated excise policy”, it said.
The CBI alleged that Kejriwal’s “role has surfaced in transfer of the ill-gotten money to Goa” through two other accused — Vinod Chauhan and Ashish Mathur — through the hawala route.
“Further, as the national convener of AAP, it was on his (Kejriwal’s) directions that the money from the South Group was diverted to Goa for meeting election expenses of the AAP. He is also responsible for the end use of the ill-gotten money during the Goa assembly elections as the AAP is the ultimate beneficiary of the same,” the agency said.
It said AAP’s Goa incharge Durgesh Pathak was also allegedly responsible for receiving and using the ill-gotten money generated from the “criminal conspiracy” regarding the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
According to the CBI, of the total Rs 90-100 crore paid by the “South Group” to tweak the excise policy in its favour, Rs 44.5 crore cash was sent to Goa for meeting election-related expenses.
Goa’s two ex-legislative assembly members, who vied for election under the Aam Aadmi Party banner, are charged by a party volunteer with using cash to pay for their campaigns, according to allegations from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The CBI conveyed that a mutual understanding or alliance among the trio – liquor producers, distributors, and vendors – was unearthed via rule violations contrary to policy intentions. All parties involved were allegedly actively contributing to the criminal conspiracy’s unauthorized aims. This resulted in major financial setbacks for the government, while ensuring illegal fiscal advantages for public officials and other individuals involved in the ploy, as per the bureau’s accusations.