Raaj Kumar Anand Who Quit As Delhi Minister Today Was Under ED Scanner Last Year

New Delhi: Former-Delhi Minister and AAP leader Raaj Kumar Anand, in a surprising move, announced his resignation from the Delhi Cabinet and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), giving a massive jolt to the ruling party in the national capital ahead of the Lok Sabha Elections 2024. His sudden exit has created quite a buzz in the political arena with political leaders drawing a variety of meanings out of his sudden call to quit amid the ongoing investigation into the Delhi liquor policy scam case by the Enforcement Directorate.

Pertinently, former-Delhi Social Welfare, Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Minister Raaj Kumar Anand, who on Wednesday resigned from his minister’s post citing corruption, was under ED scanner last year over an alleged case of customs evasions reportedly amounting to Rs 7 crore.

AAP’s downfall from an anti-corruption group to a party ‘that's involved in corruption’: Raaj Kumar Anand

In the case related to the customs money laundering, the Enforcement Directorate had raided 13 premises linked to Raaj Kumar Anand in November 2023. The investigation against Anand was based on the prosecution complaint filed by the Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) before a Delhi court, wherein the DRI officials had alleged false declarations in imports for customs evasions of over Rs 7 Crore.

Following the complaint by the DRI, the ED had then initiated an investigation against the former-Delhi minister and conducted searches at Raaj Kumar Anand's house in the case.

As per the reports, it was being claimed that there were reported trails of unaccounted business investments hinting at hawala transfer of money to foreign lands including China in the case.

Earlier, while quitting the AAP, Raaj Kumar Anand alleged that he decision came as a reflection of AAP’s downfall from an anti-corruption group to a party ‘that's involved in corruption’.

He said, "I joined AAP after seeing its strong message on fighting corruption. I had joined AAP to pay back to society. Today, the party has found itself in the middle of corrupt practices. That's why I have decided to quit."

Citing Delhi High Court’s decision on rejecting Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal bail plea, Raaj Kumar Anand in a veiled attack on the AAP leaders named in the alleged liquorgate scam, said, “The High Court’s decision that came yesterday clearly indicates the party was wrong on its part.”

In the Delhi liquor policy scam case, Arvind Kejriwal was earlier arrested by the ED after he evaded as many as 9 summons issued against him by the central agency. Earlier, AAP leaders Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Satyendra Jain were also arrested in an alleged money laundering case.

Earlier this month, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was granted bail in the case.