Arvind Kejriwal
On Monday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a charge sheet against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of being involved in a corruption conspiracy related to the now-defunct 2021-22 Delhi excise policy. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) allegedly received ₹100 crore in kickbacks, according to the agency.
The CBI, which arrested Arvind Kejriwal on June 26, identified him as a main conspirator in this case. They claim that Vijay Nair, a former media in-charge for AAP and close associate of Kejriwal, contacted various liquor manufacturers and traders from March 2021, demanding bribes in exchange for favorable provisions in the upcoming excise policy.
Since first questioning Kejriwal in April 2023, the CBI has filed five charge sheets against 18 individuals, including former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha. The agency claims that out of the ₹100 crore allegedly received by AAP, ₹44.45 crore was transferred to Goa through “hawala channels” for the election campaign between June 2021 and January 2022.
The policy was formulated and hastily approved by the Delhi government’s council of ministers on May 21, 2021, despite the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Kejriwal on March 21 and filed a charge sheet against him on May 17, describing him as the mastermind behind AAP’s major activities and policy decisions. The ED claims to have identified ₹1,100 crore in proceeds of crime related to the excise policy case.
The Supreme Court recently granted Kejriwal interim bail in the ED’s case, citing his prolonged incarceration of over 90 days and the fundamental rights to life and liberty. This decision was a significant legal and political boost for Kejriwal and AAP, although he remains in custody due to the CBI’s case.
The 2021-22 excise policy aimed to rejuvenate Delhi’s liquor business with a new sales-volume-based regime and license fees for traders, promising improved customer experiences with swankier stores and discounts on liquor purchases. However, the policy was scrapped following a recommendation for a probe into alleged irregularities by Delhi’s lieutenant governor, Vinai Kumar Saxena. AAP accused Saxena’s predecessor of last-minute changes that led to lower-than-expected revenues.
Additionally, the ED has reported to the Union home ministry about alleged irregularities in AAP’s overseas donations worth ₹7.08 crore, in violation of the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act and the Representation of People’s Act.
