New Delhi: The trouble for Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is facing a blow in the alleged assault case involving party Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, has mounted with Enforcement Directorate (ED) chargesheeting the party and its national convener Arvind Kejriwal as accused in connection with the Delhi liquorgate.

The AAP which was already said to be facing a crisis-like situation after Delhi Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in a money laundering case linked to now scrapped-Delhi liquor policy, is facing another setback after Maliwal alleged assault by Kejriwal’s aide Bibhav Kumar at CM residence.

The case also left the party members perplexed initially with Sanjay Singh first admitting the assault only after to be countered by the other party leader Atishi who claimed that charges by Maliwal were baseless and that she was a pawn of BJP.

On May 14, senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh admitted assaultgate against the former DCW chairperson, saying that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had taken cognizance of the allegations and assured that action would be taken against the accused close aide Bibhav. However, on May 17, senior Delhi Minister Atishi took a U-turn and openly dismissed Maliwal's claims. Atishi also termed Swati Maliwal a ‘pawn’ of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), thereby undermining the allegations and contradicting Singh's earlier statement.

"Ever since Arvind Kejriwal has got bail, the BJP is rattled. Due to this, the BJP hatched a conspiracy, under which Swati Maliwal was sent to Arvind Kejriwal's house on the morning of 13th May. Swati Maliwal was the face and pawn of this conspiracy", claimed Atishi, denying her charges.

Liquorgate: Another Setback for AAP

Meanwhile, the ED, probing the alleged money laundering in Delhi excise policy case, on Friday filed a fresh charge sheet, naming AAP and its supremo Kejriwal as accused. This marks the first time that a sitting CM and a political party are facing money laundering charges.

The chargesheet was filed before the Rouse Avenue Court of Special Judge Kaveri Baweja. Special Judge Kaveri Baweja is likely to take up the chargesheet for cognisance in coming days.

Last week, the Supreme Court had granted interim bail to Kejriwal until June 1 to participate in the election campaign for the Lok Sabha elections 2024..

The ED action came a day after Additional Solicitor General S V Raju told the apex court that the AAP would be made an accused in the case.
According to sources, the accused have been sought to be charged under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The ED has so far filed a total of eight – one main and seven supplementary – chargesheets in the liquor scam case.  

A total of 18 people have been arrested by the ED in this case so far. The first chargesheet in the money laundering case linked to the excise policy case was filed by the ED in November 2022.