The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed its fifth and final charge sheet against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with its corruption probe into the capital’s 2021-22 liquor policy. This charge sheet concludes the investigation into alleged irregularities and kickbacks associated with the policy.
The CBI’s charge sheet, filed on Monday, includes 23 individuals, notably including Arvind Kejriwal, who has been identified as “one of the conspirators” in the case. The charge sheet also names Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Durgesh Pathak, businessman P. Sarath Reddy (an approver in the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) parallel probe), and other key figures such as Vinod Chauhan, Amit Arora, and Ashish Mathur.
Kejriwal, along with other accused, faces charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act, criminal conspiracy, and cheating. The ED, which concluded its Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) probe last month, has already filed eight charge sheets against 40 accused, including high-profile figures like former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Bharat Rashtra Samithi leader K Kavitha.
According to the CBI, Vijay Nair, a former media in-charge of the AAP and a close associate of Kejriwal, was reportedly soliciting bribes from liquor manufacturers and traders to incorporate favorable provisions into the 2021-22 Delhi excise policy. The CBI alleges that Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, a Member of Parliament, sought Kejriwal’s support for his liquor business, and Kejriwal directed him to work with K Kavitha and provide financial support to the AAP.
The CBI charge sheet details that ₹100 crore in kickbacks was allegedly funneled through hawala channels to Goa for AAP’s election campaign. This sum included ₹44.45 crore transferred between June 2021 and January 2022.
The charge sheet also criticizes the rushed approval of the excise policy during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy was formulated and approved in a hurried manner, further implicating the Delhi government’s decision-making process.
Kejriwal was initially taken into custody by the ED on March 21 and later named in their charge sheets under the PMLA. The ED accused Kejriwal of being deeply involved in the decision-making processes related to the controversial liquor policy.
Sources By Agencies
