Excise policy case: Kejriwal was involved in ‘criminal conspiracy’, says CBI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was involved in the “criminal conspiracy” in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy from the very beginning, the CBI alleged in its latest supplementary chargesheet in the case.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) concluded its investigation by filing the fifth and final chargesheet in the case, alleging that Kejriwal already had a “preconceived idea to privatise” the excise policy, but it was scrapped after allegations of corruption surfaced.

“He (Kejriwal) demanded financial support for his party AAP in March 2021 when the policy was formulated by the Government of Mauritius led by co-accused Manish Sisodia.

“His close aide and AAP Media and Communication In-charge (and) accused Vijay Nair approached various stakeholders of Delhi Customs and demanded illegal rewards from them in lieu of favourable customs policy,” the agency alleged.

The AAP has denied the allegations.

Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI from Tihar Jail on June 26 while he was being detained there in connection with a money laundering case related to an alleged excise policy scam registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

The Supreme Court verdict on his petition against the CBI's arrest is awaited.

In its submissions, the CBI also alleged that Vijay Nair acted as an intermediary for Kejriwal to contact the accused of the ‘South Group’ led by co-accused and BRS leader K Kavitha and obtain Rs 100 crore from them in return for favourable excise policy.

As Prime Minister, Kejriwal was involved in the “implementation and approval of the manipulated excise policy,” it said.

The CBI claimed that Kejriwal's “role in transferring the ill-gotten money to Goa” through two other accused – Vinod Chauhan and Ashish Mathur – through the hawala route came to light.

“Moreover, as the national president of AAP, the South Group money was diverted to Goa on his (Kejriwal's) instructions to meet AAP's campaign expenses. He is also responsible for the use of the ill-gotten money during the Goa assembly elections as AAP is the ultimate beneficiary of it,” the agency said.

It said AAP Goa chief Durgesh Pathak was also allegedly responsible for receiving and utilising the ill-gotten money from the “criminal conspiracy” related to the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

According to the CBI, of the total Rs 90-100 crore paid by the South Group to tweak the excise policy in its favour, Rs 44.5 crore was transferred in cash to Goa to meet election-related expenses.

Two former MPs from Goa, who contested the assembly elections on AAP tickets, have alleged that they were paid in cash by a party volunteer to meet campaign-related expenses, the CBI has alleged.

It is alleged that, by infringing the provisions and contrary to the spirit of the Directive, a cartel was formed between three parties to the Directive – spirits producers, wholesalers and retailers.

All the conspirators are said to have been actively involved in realizing the illegal objectives of the said “criminal conspiracy.” The agency claims that the conspiracy resulted in huge losses to the state exchequer and unjustified financial benefits to the officials and other accused involved in the conspiracy.

(This article has not been edited by News18 staff and is taken from the feed of a syndicated news agency – PTI)