ED Calls Arvind Kejriwal 'Kingpin', 10 Charges Against Delhi CM in Liquorgate

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) called Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal the 'Kingpin' in the liquor scam case along with other ministers and AAP leaders. The ED told Special Judge Kaveri Baweja at the Rouse Avenue court that Kejriwal received several crores of rupees as ‘kickbacks’ from the 'South group' for formulating and implementing the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. Meanwhile, the Rouse Avenue Court sent Kejriwal to ED custody till March 28. The agency had sought 10 days of remand.  

ED's 10 Charges Against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal

• Kejriwal demanded Rs 100 crore from some accused from 'South group' for contesting the Punjab elections.
• Kejriwal was directly involved in the implementation of the policy, and gave favour to the South group
• The money trail showed that Rs 45 crore ‘kickback’ used in the Goa elections came from 4 hawala routes.
• Statements of the accused and witnesses have been corroborated by Call Detail Records (CDR).
• AAP is not an individual but a company, and every person responsible for the conduct of the company will be held responsible.
• Manish Sisodia provided the new draft of liquor policy to Vijay Nair who was the pinpoint man of Arvind Kejriwal. Vijay Nair used to live adjacent to the residence of Arvind Kejriwal. This residence was otherwise allotted to Kailash Gahlot the present transport minister.
• Vijay Nair acted as a middleman between the AAP and the South Group lobby.
• Arvind Kejriwal was in touch with Sharath Reddy and asked him to trust Vijay Nair
• Rs 300 Crore given to AAP by K Kavitha. 
• Kejriwal is involved in the use of proceeds of crime.  

The AAP chief was produced before the court around 2 pm amid tight security on and around the court premises. Senior Advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi, Vikram Chaudhari, and Ramesh Gupta along with Advocates Rajat Bharadwaj, Mudit Jain and Mohd Irshad appeared for the Delhi CM Kejriwal. ASG SV Raju and Special Counsel Zoheb Hossain appeared for the probe agency.

For the unversed, the Delhi CM was produced in the trial court shortly after he withdrew from the Supreme Court his plea against arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the excise policy-linked money laundering case. Kejriwal's counsel said he would contest the remand proceedings before the trial court and then come back to the apex court with another petition.