On Monday, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) submitted a formal complaint against Delhi’s Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, along with others, at the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi regarding the now nullified Delhi Excise Policy Case.
The CBI initiated legal action following an investigation into what it claims to be the misuse of the Delhi excise policy, which has led to significant allegations of financial wrongdoing.
Earlier, on March 21, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) apprehended Kejriwal from his residence in Delhi on charges of money laundering, which are linked to the alleged excise policy fraud. The Rouse Avenue Court permitted the CBI to proceed with the arrest of Kejriwal following a request to conduct a judicial examination of Kejriwal by the agency.
The CBI has charged Kejriwal as a key conspirator in the excise policy case. The CBI has referred to Kejriwal as the “facilitator” of the excise policy case. The Delhi High Court, which was reviewing Kejriwal’s request for bail, has decided to hold off on making a decision. Before the court, the CBI has stated that evidence was gathered after Kejriwal’s arrest, and that several individuals, including AAP members, have come forward with information.
The CBI has maintained that it could not have completed its investigation without apprehending Kejriwal. The CBI has also informed the court that even after the charges were filed, Kejriwal could still exert influence over witnesses.
On the flip side, Kejriwal’s defense attorney, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, has argued in court that the CBI has not questioned Kejriwal since his arrest, except during his time in police custody. Singhvi has claimed that the CBI lacks concrete evidence against Kejriwal and has not recovered any evidence from his residence.
He has also stated that Kejriwal was not solely responsible for the formulation or execution of the excise policy but that it was a collective decision involving at least 50 bureaucrats, including the Chief Minister and nine other ministries. Regarding the liquor policy case, Kejriwal was arrested in connection with it, which involves allegations that the Delhi Government’s excise policy, implemented in November 2021, was part of a scheme to funnel profits to certain private companies.
The policy, which lowered the legal drinking age to 21, replaced state-owned liquor stores with private ones, and introduced a new system for licensing liquor brands based on their pricing and sales performance outside Delhi, among other changes. The policy was subsequently revoked following reports of violations. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has accused the excise policy of being a part of a larger scheme to ensure a 12 percent profit margin for certain private entities, and that this was a coordinated effort involving Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Vijay Nair, and others.
Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, both prominent figures in the AAP, have been previously detained in relation to this matter. Additionally, K Kavitha, the leader of the BRS, has been charged with “conspiring” with Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, and Manish Sisodia, a high-ranking member of the AAP, to secure benefits in the development and execution of Delhi’s excise policy. She is anticipated to stay in the custody of the Enforcement Directorate until March 23.
