Delhi excise policy case: AAP refutes report of LG’s nod to prosecute Kejriwal
AAP dismissed reports of LG sanctioning ED to prosecute Kejriwal as false, alleging it's a distraction from Amit Shah's statement; BJP claims AAP is in panic.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Saturday dismissed media reports that lieutenant governor VK Saxena has granted sanction to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to prosecute AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22, calling them “false” and “misleading”.
The party also claimed that the report was an attempt to “divert attention” from a statement by Union home minister Amit Shah referring to Dr BR Ambedkar, which has triggered a political storm.
However, the Bharatiya Janata Party dismissed the AAP’s allegations, claiming that the party ruling Delhi was in “panic”.
The LG’s office did not respond to a request for a comment.
The Delhi government’s 2021-22 excise policy aimed to revitalise the city’s flagging liquor business, but was scrapped after Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into alleged irregularities in the regime. ED is carrying out a separate probe into the policy in connection with alleged money laundering.
Also read | Arvind Kejriwal claims Centre failed to ensure women's safety, BJP reminds AAP of Swati Maliwal case
On March 21 this year, ED arrested Kejriwal — the then Delhi chief minister — for his alleged role in promulgation of the excise policy. However, the Supreme Court on September 13 granted Kejriwal bail, and shortly afterwards, he stepped down as CM.
Later ED, in a letter dated December 5, sought sanction to prosecute Kejriwal on charges of money laundering under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. HT has seen the letter.
To be sure, the AAP and Kejriwal have denied all charges, and have called the case a “witch-hunt” and “political vendetta” at the behest of the Union government.
On Saturday, AAP parliamentarian Sanjay Singh, during an interaction with media, said if the LG has really given the federal agency sanction to prosecute Kejriwal, the letter should be made public.
“Since morning, a baseless and false news story has been circulating. Delhi LG VK Saxena has not granted any approval for prosecution. If such approval has indeed been given, where is the letter? Show the letter if it exists. If ED has received a letter of approval from the LG, why is it being hidden? It should be made public. What are you trying to prove by keeping it concealed?”
Also read | Arvind Kejriwal accuses BJP of conspiring to remove Purvanchalis from Delhi voter rolls
Meanwhile, senior AAP leader Manish Sisodia in a post on X said, “If LG Saxena has granted sanction to prosecute Arvind Kejriwal, then why isn’t ED showing a copy of that sanction? It’s clear that this news is false and misleading. Stop using rhetoric to divert attention from the issue of disrespecting Babasaheb and show where the sanction to prosecute was given to ED.”
Hitting back, BJP MP Bansuri Swaraj said, “Kejriwal and the AAP are panicking because if the LG allows prosecution sanction against Kejriwal, corruption in the AAP government will become the central issue in political discourse, which Kejriwal and his party do not want ahead of the elections.”
