Delhi L-G gives nod to ED to prosecute Kejriwal in excise policy case
Ahead of the upcoming 2025 Delhi Assembly polls, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena has granted permission to the Enforcement Directorate to prosecute AAP national convener and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case.
On December 5, the ED sought permission for sanction of prosecution against Kejriwal. The move comes after months of investigations into the Delhi Government's excise policy, which has been at the centre of controversy and allegations of corruption.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Friday granted the ED additional time to file its reply to the petition filed by Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia. The petition challenges the trial court's decision to take cognizance of the chargesheets in the Delhi excise liquor policy case.
The matter has been scheduled for hearing on February 5, by the Bench of Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri.
Recently, the Delhi High Court had issued a notice on a plea by Kejriwal and Sisodia, challenging the trial court's decision to take cognizance of the ED's chargesheet against them in the alleged excise policy case.
Kejriwal and Sisodia are currently out on bail in both the Enforcement Directorate and Central Bureau of Investigation cases related to the now-scrapped excise policy.
According to the ED, the excise policy was deliberately designed with loopholes to benefit AAP leaders and foster cartel formations. The ED accused the AAP leaders of receiving kickbacks from liquor businesses in exchange for preferential treatment, including discounts, license fee waivers, and relief during the Covid-19 disruptions.
The ED further alleged that the “scam” involved awarding wholesale liquor distribution rights to private entities with a fixed 12% margin, in return for a 6% kickback. Additionally, AAP leaders were accused of influencing the outcome of elections in Punjab and Goa in early 2022.
