The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is questioning Bibhav Kumar, personal assistant of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, while Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Durgesh Pathak has also been summoned on Monday in connection with the money laundering probe in Delhi excise policy case.
People familiar with the development said Kumar is being questioned to seek some clarifications regarding some documents in the excise probe.
“Pathak has also been summoned on Monday as his name has appeared in some statements related to cash payments during Goa assembly elections. He is expected to appear at ED headquarters in the afternoon,” said an officer who didn’t want to be named.
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ED has alleged that ₹45 crore bribe, taken through hawala route from South Group, was used in AAP’s Goa election campaign in 2021-22. It cites statements of Dinesh Arora, a close aide of former deputy CM Manish Sisodia, and individuals from several companies involved in routing of cash payments.
The agency has further claimed that cash payments were made to people (as per their statements) engaged in AAP’s Goa groundwork for work done as survey workers, area managers, assembly managers, among others. These persons were managed by former AAP communications in-charge Vijay Nair and AAP Delhi MLA Pathak.
{{/usCountry}}The agency has further claimed that cash payments were made to people (as per their statements) engaged in AAP’s Goa groundwork for work done as survey workers, area managers, assembly managers, among others. These persons were managed by former AAP communications in-charge Vijay Nair and AAP Delhi MLA Pathak.
{{/usCountry}}ED says this shows the dissipation/utilisation of PoC by Sisodia’s representative in Goa polls. This is also corroborated by one AAP’s Goa candidates who “received funds for election expenses in cash” from AAP volunteers, the agency has claimed.
Meanwhile, AAP leader Atishi had said last week that Pathak is one of the leaders who would be arrested by ED.
While arresting Kejriwal last month, agency has claimed that he used his position as the chief minister of Delhi to commit money laundering offence and benefit his party, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), of which he is the national convener, making him and the party liable to be prosecuted.
It has defined AAP as a “company” under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Terming him not only the brain behind the AAP but also someone who controls its major activities, ED said in its remand note while producing the CM before a court that at the time of commission of offence under PMLA in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22, Kejriwal was “in-charge of and responsible for the said ‘company’ i.e. AAP for conduct of business of AAP”.