Delhi Liquor Policy Case: ED Authorized to Prosecute Kejriwal and Sisodia
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Synopsis
The Centre has authorized the ED to prosecute Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in connection with a money laundering case linked to the 2021-22 liquor scam. Both leaders have denied the allegations and are campaigning for the upcoming election.
Key Takeaways
- ED has permission to prosecute Kejriwal and Sisodia.
- Charges relate to the 2021-22 liquor scam.
- Supreme Court ruling requires prior sanction for ED prosecutions.
- Both leaders deny the accusations and claim political harassment.
- Kejriwal is campaigning for elections while on bail.
New Delhi, Jan 15 (NationPress) The Central Government has authorized the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to initiate prosecution against Arvind Kejriwal, the convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party and former Chief Minister of Delhi, in a money laundering case, according to sources. The agency has also received approval to proceed with legal action against Manish Sisodia, a senior AAP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister.
The Union Home Ministry has permitted the ED to take legal action against Kejriwal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) concerning allegations of money laundering associated with the 2021-22 liquor scam, which was subsequently abandoned by the AAP government led by Kejriwal.
This decision follows a ruling from the Supreme Court in November 2024, which stated that the ED must obtain prior approval, similar to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), for prosecutions under section 197 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Code (now section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita) in cases of money laundering. A special PMLA court in Delhi had suspended the framing of charges against Kejriwal after he appealed to the Delhi High Court, arguing that the trial court should not consider the charge sheet without specific sanction for prosecution under PMLA.
Recently, Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena authorized the agency to proceed with the prosecution of Kejriwal.
The CBI, which has submitted a charge sheet under the Prevention of Corruption Act, received the necessary sanction in August 2024 for its parallel case concerning corruption linked to the excise policy.
The ED has previously arrested Kejriwal, who is currently out on bail, and included him in a charge sheet alleging that bribes were accepted to favor specific liquor traders during AAP's election efforts in Goa. The investigating agency stated that Kejriwal holds ultimate responsibility for the funds involved as the national convenor and a member of AAP’s national executive.
Similarly, Sisodia, who served as the Excise Minister during the formulation of the policy, has also been arrested in the money laundering case.
Kejriwal and AAP have been accused of receiving bribes from the 'South Group', a cartel overseeing the sale and distribution of liquor in the national capital, which allegedly profited from the excise policy established by the Delhi government for 2021-22.
Both Kejriwal and Sisodia are currently on bail. They have dismissed the allegations against them and accused the BJP of leveraging investigative agencies to intimidate political opponents.
The two leaders are actively campaigning for the upcoming election on February 5 in the national capital, with Kejriwal announcing plans to submit his nomination from the New Delhi constituency on Wednesday.
