AAP, Arvind Kejriwal benefited from illicit funds; Delhi CM planed to privatise Excise Policy, says CBI

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party benefited from the illicit funds generated through the criminal conspiracy in the Excise Policy case. The probe agency claims that as the national convenor of AAP and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is responsible for this.

The CBI in its supplementary charge sheet, stated that the investigation has revealed that Arvind Kejriwal was involved in the criminal conspiracy related to the formulation and implementation of Delhi's Excise Policy from the outset.

The Supreme Court will today hear pleas filed by Kejriwal seeking bail against his arrest by the CBI in the now-scrapped excise policy case. The AAP chief has challenged the Delhi High Court's decision that upheld his arrest in the excise policy case.

The Aam Aadmi Party chief was by CBI on June 26, while he was in custody of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scam.

In its supplementary charge sheet, the CBI has alleged that Kejriwal had a pre-conceived plan to privatize the Excise Policy and sought monetary support for the AAP in March 2021, during the policy's formulation by the Group of Ministers (GoM) led by co-accused Manish Sisodia. Additionally, Kejriwal's close associate, Vijay Nair, who is in charge of Media and Communication for AAP, allegedly approached various stakeholders in the Delhi Excise Business, demanding illegal gratification in exchange for favourable adjustments to the Excise Policy.

Both Sisodia and Nair are out on bail.

The- Aam Aadmi Party chief is the only key political leader who is behind bars in the case. As many as three accused in the case have been released on bail in the past month.

The CBI has further alleged that the statement submitted by the AAP regarding election expenditure for the Goa Assembly Elections 2022 is misleading. It is claimed that the statement only accounts for payments made through bank transactions, while substantial cash payments to various vendors, Assembly Managers, Booth In-Charges, and Volunteers engaged by AAP during the Goa Assembly Elections 2021-22 were not reported.

The investigation stated that the illicit funds generated from the criminal conspiracy related to the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 were used to cover the election expenses of AAP for the Goa Assembly Elections.

(With ANI inputs)