New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was the “kingpin” and “key conspirator” in the alleged liquor policy scam in the national capital, the Enforcement Directorate told the city’s Rouse Avenue Court on Friday afternoon, as it argued for 10-day custody of the Aam Aadmi Party boss.
The agency has claimed that Kejriwal acted as the middleman between the ‘south group’ and other accused, including ex-Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia (arrested last year) and AAP officer Vijay Nair. Total proceeds of the alleged scam, the agency said, exceeded Rs 600 crore; this includes the Rs 100 crore allegedly paid by the ‘south group’ that the agency has claimed includes Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha, who was arrested in similarly dramatic circumstances last week.
“We have complied with Section 19 of PMLA, (Prevention of Money Laundering Act). Relatives are informed and a copy of the remand application is given… grounds of arrest furnished in writing…” Additional Solicitor-General SV Raju, appearing for the Enforcement Directorate, said.
“He was directly involved in implementation of the policy, and giving favour to the south group. Kejriwal demanded kickbacks from the south group in exchange for favours… this is corroborated by statements,” Raju argued, adding, “He also is involved in the use of proceeds of crime.”
“All vendors paid cash, to a certain extent,” he continued.
On the role of Nair, the Additional Solicitor General said, “He was staying in a house given to Kailash Gahlot (Delhi’s Transport Minister) and acted as the middleman between the south group and AAP.”
Kejriwal — the first sitting Chief Minister to be arrested — spent the night at the agency’s office on Delhi’s Abdul Kalam Road.
Hours earlier, Kejriwal’s legal team withdrew a Supreme Court plea challenging his arrest; this was shortly after the top court rejected an identical plea by the BRS’ K Kavitha. In fact, the same bench that told Kavitha to go to a lower court was scheduled to hear Kejriwal’s plea.
Given the court’s reaction to Kavitha’s petition, Kejriwal’s legal team said it had withdrawn its plea as it did not expect a positive response. Reports said the team believed the plea would be pointless since Kejriwal has already been arrested, and the court, in the BRS leader’s case, had remarked “… just because you have the means (power and/or money) we can’t entertain you”.
“We are withdrawing petition here (from the Supreme Court) as it is clashing with remand. We will argue remand and come back here…” Singhvi had told the top court.
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested Thursday evening hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant him protection from arrest. A team of 12 officials rushed to his residence, where they questioned him, seized documents and other materials, and then, at 9 pm, arrested the three-time Chief Minister.
Kejriwal has been arrested in the Delhi liquor policy scam case; the central agency has accused the AAP leader of being a “conspirator”. The ED believes the now-scrapped policy provided an impossibly high profit margin of nearly 185 per cent for retailers and 12 per cent for wholesalers.
Of the latter, six per cent was to be recovered by the AAP as bribes, which amounted to over Rs 600 crore. Nearly a third of this, the ED has alleged, was paid by a ‘south group’ that included BRS leader K Kavitha. These proceeds were then allegedly used by the AAP for election campaign expenses.
Apart from Kejriwal, two prominent AAP leaders — Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia — have also been arrested in connection with this case. Singh was arrested on October 5 and Sisodia over a year ago – on February 26. Neither has received any relief from the top court, underlining how likely it is that Kejriwal too will not get any help.
