ED gets MHA sanction to prosecute Arvind Kejriwal in excise policy case
The federal agency has filed a chargesheet against the 56-year-old politician before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court here last year after arresting him in March.
Arvind Kejriwal (PTI)
NEW DELHI: In a significant development ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections scheduled for February 5, the Union Home Ministry has granted sanction to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to prosecute former Delhi CM and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal in the money laundering case linked to the excise policy.
The federal agency filed a chargesheet against the 56-year-old politician before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court here last year after arresting him in March, officials said.
Kejriwal, who filed the nomination for the Delhi assembly elections from the New Delhi constituency, on Wednesday, has been made an accused in his personal capacity as well as in the capacity of being the national convenor of his party AAP.
The former chief minister was called the "kingpin and key conspirator" of the Delhi excise "scam" by the ED.
It has been alleged that he acted in collusion with the Delhi government, AAP leaders and others.
The ED had earlier claimed that AAP, being a political party, is defined as an association or a body of individual citizens of India under the Representation of the People Act, and hence, it can be categorised as a "company" as contemplated under Section 70 of the PMLA.
As Kejriwal was "in-charge of and responsible" for the said company, that is AAP, during the time of offence, he and his party "shall be deemed guilty" of offences mentioned under the anti-money laundering law and liable to be prosecuted and punished, it had said.
The excise case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in formulating and executing the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped.
Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena had recommended a CBI probe into the alleged irregularities. Subsequently, the ED registered a case under the PMLA.
Taking cognisance of a CBI FIR lodged on August 17, 2022, the ED filed its money laundering case on August 22, 2022 to probe the alleged irregularities.
