New Delhi: In the latest development in the liquorgate, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday filed the seventh supplementary charge sheet against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the in Rouse Avenue Court, in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Delhi Excise Policy Scam involving CM Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia, among others. 

During the hearing, the probe agency informed the court about Kejriwal's chats with hawala operators, Republic has learnt.

The accused have been sought to be charged under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), news agency PTI reported, citing sources.

Special Judge Kaveri Baweja is likely to take up the charge sheet, spanning 200 pages apart from the annexure, for cognisance in the coming days.

The ED has so far filed a total of eight – one main and seven supplementary – chargesheets in the liquor scam case.   

The federal probe agency had arrested AAP supremo Kejriwal from his official residence in the national capital on March 21. He is currently out of jail on an interim bail.

A total of 18 people have been arrested by the ED in this case so far.  

'Kejriwal is the Kingpin and Key Conspirator of Delhi Excise Scam'

The ED had, in its earlier chargesheet, called Kejriwal the "kingpin and key conspirator" of the Delhi excise “scam”, alleging that he acted in collusion with Delhi government minister, AAP leaders and others.

During the hearing on Thursday, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju had informed the Supreme Court that Kejriwal played a key role in the formulation of the now-scrapped excise policy.

"We have direct evidence that Kejriwal stayed in a seven-star hotel, whose bills were partly paid by an accused in the case," he had said, adding that Kejriwal, as the national convenor of the AAP, was vicariously responsible for the alleged scam.

The ED has contended 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 can therefore be categorised as a "company" as contemplated under section 70 of the PMLA.

As Arvind Kejriwal was "in-charge of and responsible" for the said company i.e. 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, the ED had said, according to PTI.

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.

The ED had registered a case under the PMLA following Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena's recommendation that a CBI probe be initiated into the alleged irregularities. 

Taking cognisance of a CBI FIR lodged on August 17, 2022, the ED had filed its money laundering case on August 22, 2022, to probe the alleged irregularities.  

(With inputs from PTI)