Centre Gives Nod To ED To Prosecute Arvind Kejriwal In Delhi Liquor Policy Scam

New Delhi: The Union Home Ministry has given its nod to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to prosecute Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal and former minister Manish Sisodia in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi liquor policy scam.

This comes after Delhi Lt. Governor VK Saxena gave his permission to prosecute the former Delhi Chief Minister.

In its last November order, the Supreme Court ruled that the ED had to take prior sanction before prosecuting public servants. Following the top court’s order, the probe agency wrote to VK Saxena, seeking the sanction against Kejriwal as he was the allegedly “kingpin and key conspirator” of the scam.

Kejriwal had moved the Delhi High Court claiming that the probe agency’s chargesheet against him and others in the case was illegal. He highlighted that no prior sanction of authorities was taken before filing the prosecution complaint.

Kejriwal has been accused of causing irregularities in the formulation of the now-defunct Delhi excise policy for 2021-22. The former Chief Minister along with other AAP leaders, including Sisodia, intentionally created loopholes in the policy to receive kickbacks from liquor lobbyists, the probe agency alleges.

He was first arrested by the ED on March 21, 2024, in connection to the money laundering case. Later, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Kejriwal on June 26, 2024 in a graft case.

In September 2024, the Supreme Court granted bail to the AAP chief. Thereafter, Kejriwal resigned as the Chief Minister of Delhi. Sisodia walked out of jail in August 2024, 17 months after his arrest by the ED and CBI.

Meanwhile, Kejriwal along with his wife arrived at Pracheen Hanuman Mandir in Connaught Place on Wednesday to file his nomination from the New Delhi Assembly seat.