ED gets Centre’s permission to prosecute Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi liquor policy case

The Union home ministry has given the Enforcement Directorate permission to prosecute former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case, PTI reported on Wednesday quoting unidentified officials.

Kejriwal has been accused in his personal capacity as well as on account of being the chief of the Aam Aadmi Party.

He was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21. The central law enforcement agency is investigating allegations of money laundering in the liquor policy case based on a first information report filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation.

Kejriwal was released on bail in September. A week later, he stepped down as the chief minister and was replaced by Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi.

The two central agencies have alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government modified Delhi’s now-scrapped liquor policy by increasing the commission for wholesalers from 5% to 12%. This allegedly facilitated the receipt of bribes from wholesalers who had a substantial market share and turnover.

In May, the Enforcement Directorate also alleged that Kejriwal was the “kingpin” and the “key conspirator” in the liquor case.

The ED further claims that the Aam Aadmi Party can be categorised as a “company” under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act because it is defined as an association or a body of individual citizens of India under the…

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