New Delhi: In a significant development, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal today in connection with the liquor policy case. This move comes after repeated summons were ignored by Kejriwal, who was suspected of involvement in the case.
ED’s Allegations and Timeline:
The ED, in a press statement, labeled Kejriwal as a “conspirator” in the case. According to the agency, Kejriwal, along with AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, allegedly conspired with Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha to formulate a liquor policy that favored a southern Indian liquor lobby referred to as the “South Lobby”.
In exchange for this favorable policy, the “South Lobby” was purportedly set to provide ₹100 crore to the AAP. The ED further alleges that Vijay Nair, an accused in the case, frequently visited Kejriwal’s office and claimed to have discussed the policy with him. Nair even arranged a video call between Kejriwal and Indospirit owner Sameer Mahendru.
Key Statements:
– Raghav Magunta, a witness in the case, stated that his father, a YSR Congress Party MP, met Kejriwal to discuss the liquor policy.
– C Arvind, a former secretary of Sisodia, alleged that he was instructed to prepare a report based on a document he received from Kejriwal’s house, despite no discussion on such a proposal in any official meetings.
The arrest of a sitting Chief Minister marks a significant turn of events in this ongoing investigation. The AAP has vowed to contest the legality of the arrest, seeking relief from the Supreme Court. This development is likely to have far-reaching implications on the political landscape of Delhi and beyond.
