New Delhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal 'directly utilized' part of alleged Rs 100 crore generated from 'bribes' from Delhi excise policy 'scam' by staying in a hotel luxury apartment in Goa, the ED stated in its charge sheet. filed against the AAP supremo.
The federal investigation agency also claimed that the GoM (Group of Ministers) constituted by his government in this context was a "farce".
A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Tuesday took cognizance of the prosecution complaint, filed on May 17, and issued a production order for the jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader for on July 12. The politician, 55 years old, and the AAP have been named as defendants in this seventh supplementary statement of charges presented in the case.
Regarding Kejriwal's role, the 209-page chargesheet said: "Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of NCT of Delhi, is the kingpin and key conspirator of the Delhi excise scam in connivance with the ministers of the Delhi government. , Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and others."
The AAP, which rules Delhi and Punjab, responded to the ED's allegation on Tuesday saying that the BJP-led government at the Center was hatching a "huge conspiracy" against the party and that the political group was being liquidated."Arvind Kejriwal "has directly used part of these proceeds of crime personally by making Chanpreet Singh (another accused in the case) pay for Sh Arvind Kejriwal's stay and event at the Grand Hyatt, Goa," the agency claimed.
He said Kejriwal also "mixed" these proceeds of crime with Delhi government funds.
It has been alleged that the 'Southern Group' of politicians and liquor businessmen gave bribes worth Rs 100 crore to get a favorable position in Delhi's excise policy for 2021-22 and of these funds, 45 million were sent crores to the AAP. campaign in Goa during the 2022 assembly elections. "The AAP kept the proceeds of crime expenditure of Rs 45 crore off the books and did not disclose the same to the Election Commission of India," he said.
In this way, he alleged, Kejriwal "had control over the proceeds of crime of Rs 100 crore at every stage and, therefore, the activity of generation, acquisition and possession, transfer, use and concealment and projection of the same as not tainted crime was carried out on this proceeds of crime committed by Sh Arvind Kejriwal."
The agency said Kejriwal was "responsible" for being punished for his role in committing the offense of money laundering under section 4 of the PMLA and also "vicariously" as he is responsible for the conduct of the business/affairs of the AAP, considered an undertaking under section 70 of the PMLA. The agency has recorded Kejriwal's statement 11 times since he was arrested on March 21 from his official bungalow in Delhi, but alleged that he gave "evasive answers" and "withheld information " during his custodial interrogation.
The ED said it confiscated several digital devices used by Kejriwal, but he refused to open them and this refusal was recorded in writing and captured on video of his interrogation.
In his defence, Kejriwal told ED interrogators that his lawyers had warned him that he was "not obliged" to share the password for these devices, according to the charge sheet. "Kejriwal, who is the top executive of the AAP and was intrinsically involved in the acts of policy formulation, bribery scheme and ultimate use of proceeds of crime so generated, including conspiracy thereof,” the ED stated.
He said Kejriwal, being the national convener and member of the AAP national executive, was ultimately responsible for the funds being used in election expenses, including the Goa assembly elections.
The agency claimed that another accused in the case, Vinod Chauhan, was "managing posts" of officials in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) "through" Arvind Kejriwal. Chauhan was allegedly responsible for the transfer of 25.5 crores from Delhi to Goa, of the alleged bribes of Rs 45 crores meant for the election campaign.
The ED said the GoM constituted by the Delhi government was "a farce, as revealed by the statements of excise officials who revealed that they were never consulted on any major policy decision."
He said Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot recorded his statement with the agency saying that he "simply agreed with the policy changes as Manish Sisodia (former Delhi deputy CM and excise minister) was a senior leader." and had said that the increase in profit margin from 5 per cent to 12 per cent was a good proposal and that is why he (Gahlot) accepted it." The ED has alleged that the excise policy was introduced by the leaders of the AAP as "a result of the quid pro quo conspiracy to continuously generate and channel illegal funds to themselves and certain private individuals."
The charge sheet also said that Vijay Nair was his "close aide" and acted as a middleman to receive bribes or kickbacks from various stakeholders in the Delhi liquor business in exchange for favorable outcomes in the policy being drafted and Kejriwal He demanded illicit commissions from Grupo Sur in exchange for granting them favors in the formulation and implementation of the policy.
He said that when certain L1 wholesalers refused to give bribes to the AAP in Delhi, their businesses were targeted in Punjab through the state officials and therefore he played a role in pressuring them. He said that the BRS leader, K Kavitha, "conspired with South Group members and AAP leaders through Vijay Nair to pay bribes to the tune of Rs 100 crore and receive undue benefits."
Regarding Kejriwal's conduct, the chargesheet says that he presented false information and evasive answers during his custodial interrogation.
“When asked about the extent of interaction and reporting by Vijay Nair to accused Arvind Kejriwal, he stated that Vijay Nair did not report to him but to Atishi Marlena and Saurav Bharadwaj and that his interaction with Sh Vijay Nair was limited. However, "Vijay Nair's own statements reveal that he stayed in a cabinet minister's bungalow and worked in the CM's office," he said citing an example of his "misleading answers." "The accused has even provided false evidence." and contrary to other members of the AAP and contrary to available facts and records. When he was confronted with the statements given by the leaders of his own party, he called them confusing," he added. The charge sheet was added.
The excise case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of 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. The ED subsequently registered a case under the PMLA. Taking cognizance of a CBI FIR filed on August 17, 2022, the ED filed its money laundering case on August 22, 2022, to investigate the alleged irregularities.
The federal investigation agency also claimed that the GoM (Group of Ministers) constituted by his government in this context was a "farce".
A special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court on Tuesday took cognizance of the prosecution complaint, filed on May 17, and issued a production order for the jailed Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader for on July 12. The politician, 55 years old, and the AAP have been named as defendants in this seventh supplementary statement of charges presented in the case.
Regarding Kejriwal's role, the 209-page chargesheet said: "Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of NCT of Delhi, is the kingpin and key conspirator of the Delhi excise scam in connivance with the ministers of the Delhi government. , Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders and others."
The AAP, which rules Delhi and Punjab, responded to the ED's allegation on Tuesday saying that the BJP-led government at the Center was hatching a "huge conspiracy" against the party and that the political group was being liquidated."Arvind Kejriwal "has directly used part of these proceeds of crime personally by making Chanpreet Singh (another accused in the case) pay for Sh Arvind Kejriwal's stay and event at the Grand Hyatt, Goa," the agency claimed.
He said Kejriwal also "mixed" these proceeds of crime with Delhi government funds.
It has been alleged that the 'Southern Group' of politicians and liquor businessmen gave bribes worth Rs 100 crore to get a favorable position in Delhi's excise policy for 2021-22 and of these funds, 45 million were sent crores to the AAP. campaign in Goa during the 2022 assembly elections. "The AAP kept the proceeds of crime expenditure of Rs 45 crore off the books and did not disclose the same to the Election Commission of India," he said.
In this way, he alleged, Kejriwal "had control over the proceeds of crime of Rs 100 crore at every stage and, therefore, the activity of generation, acquisition and possession, transfer, use and concealment and projection of the same as not tainted crime was carried out on this proceeds of crime committed by Sh Arvind Kejriwal."
The agency said Kejriwal was "responsible" for being punished for his role in committing the offense of money laundering under section 4 of the PMLA and also "vicariously" as he is responsible for the conduct of the business/affairs of the AAP, considered an undertaking under section 70 of the PMLA. The agency has recorded Kejriwal's statement 11 times since he was arrested on March 21 from his official bungalow in Delhi, but alleged that he gave "evasive answers" and "withheld information " during his custodial interrogation.
The ED said it confiscated several digital devices used by Kejriwal, but he refused to open them and this refusal was recorded in writing and captured on video of his interrogation.
In his defence, Kejriwal told ED interrogators that his lawyers had warned him that he was "not obliged" to share the password for these devices, according to the charge sheet. "Kejriwal, who is the top executive of the AAP and was intrinsically involved in the acts of policy formulation, bribery scheme and ultimate use of proceeds of crime so generated, including conspiracy thereof,” the ED stated.
He said Kejriwal, being the national convener and member of the AAP national executive, was ultimately responsible for the funds being used in election expenses, including the Goa assembly elections.
The agency claimed that another accused in the case, Vinod Chauhan, was "managing posts" of officials in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) "through" Arvind Kejriwal. Chauhan was allegedly responsible for the transfer of 25.5 crores from Delhi to Goa, of the alleged bribes of Rs 45 crores meant for the election campaign.
The ED said the GoM constituted by the Delhi government was "a farce, as revealed by the statements of excise officials who revealed that they were never consulted on any major policy decision."
He said Delhi Transport Minister Kailash Gehlot recorded his statement with the agency saying that he "simply agreed with the policy changes as Manish Sisodia (former Delhi deputy CM and excise minister) was a senior leader." and had said that the increase in profit margin from 5 per cent to 12 per cent was a good proposal and that is why he (Gahlot) accepted it." The ED has alleged that the excise policy was introduced by the leaders of the AAP as "a result of the quid pro quo conspiracy to continuously generate and channel illegal funds to themselves and certain private individuals."
The charge sheet also said that Vijay Nair was his "close aide" and acted as a middleman to receive bribes or kickbacks from various stakeholders in the Delhi liquor business in exchange for favorable outcomes in the policy being drafted and Kejriwal He demanded illicit commissions from Grupo Sur in exchange for granting them favors in the formulation and implementation of the policy.
He said that when certain L1 wholesalers refused to give bribes to the AAP in Delhi, their businesses were targeted in Punjab through the state officials and therefore he played a role in pressuring them. He said that the BRS leader, K Kavitha, "conspired with South Group members and AAP leaders through Vijay Nair to pay bribes to the tune of Rs 100 crore and receive undue benefits."
Regarding Kejriwal's conduct, the chargesheet says that he presented false information and evasive answers during his custodial interrogation.
“When asked about the extent of interaction and reporting by Vijay Nair to accused Arvind Kejriwal, he stated that Vijay Nair did not report to him but to Atishi Marlena and Saurav Bharadwaj and that his interaction with Sh Vijay Nair was limited. However, "Vijay Nair's own statements reveal that he stayed in a cabinet minister's bungalow and worked in the CM's office," he said citing an example of his "misleading answers." "The accused has even provided false evidence." and contrary to other members of the AAP and contrary to available facts and records. When he was confronted with the statements given by the leaders of his own party, he called them confusing," he added. The charge sheet was added.
The excise case pertains to alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and execution of 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. The ED subsequently registered a case under the PMLA. Taking cognizance of a CBI FIR filed on August 17, 2022, the ED filed its money laundering case on August 22, 2022, to investigate the alleged irregularities.
