ED may charge charges in Delhi excise policy case

NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate is likely to file the seventh chargesheet in the Delhi excise-linked money laundering case in the coming days where, according to sources, it may name Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, BRS leader K Kavitha and some other people as suspects in the business.

According to sources, the federal investigation agency has prepared a prosecution complaint against half a dozen entities, including the two politicians, some of them linked individuals and companies.

The agency may also name the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in this charge sheet along with attachment of some new assets in the case registered in 2022.

Notably, the ED has filed an affidavit in the Supreme Court strongly opposing grant of interim bail to CM Kejriwal, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail. The two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna and also comprising Justice Dipankar Datta, will hear the case on Friday.

The sources further said that in its fresh chargesheet, the agency is expected to accuse Kejriwal of non-cooperation in its investigation and liable for the crime committed by the AAP, being the national president of the said party.

The ED has arrested 18 people so far, including Kejriwal’s party colleague and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and others. Singh was granted bail some time ago.

Meanwhile, AAP sources alleged that the party in power at the Center is only planning to defame Kejriwal and this is nothing more than the BJP’s charge sheet.

Kejriwal, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 21 in the alleged excise policy case, is currently lodged in Jail No. 2. The ED has named Kejriwal as the “main actor” and “key conspirator” of the excise case. . It has also alleged that Rs 45 crore “kickbacks”, out of the Rs 100 crore “bribes” provided by the ‘South Group’, was used by the AAP for the 2022 Goa Assembly election campaign.