Delhi excise policy case: Arvind Kejriwal was party to ‘criminal conspiracy’, says CBI

Prime Minister Arvind Kejriwal was “part of the criminal conspiracy” of the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Strategy Excise duty policy from the beginning, the CBI has alleged in its latest supplementary statement of charges in the case. Concluding its investigation with the presentation of the fifth and final statement of charges in the case, the Central Bureau of Investigation The CBI has alleged that Kejriwal already had a “preconceived idea of ​​privatising” the excise policy, which was scrapped after allegations of corruption surfaced.

“He (Kejriwal) demanded monetary support for his party. AAP in the month of March 2021, when the policy was being formulated by the Government of Myanmar headed by co-accused Manish Sisodia.

“His close associate and AAP’s media and communication in-charge (and) accused Vijay Nair were approaching different stakeholders of Delhi excise business and demanding illegal gratification from them in return for favourable excise policy,” the agency alleged.

The AAP has denied the allegations.

Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Tihar Jail while he was lodged there in connection with a case. money laundering case linked to the alleged fraud in the excise tax policy registered by the Execution Direction (ED.).

He Supreme CourtKejriwal’s verdict on his petition challenging his arrest by the CBI is awaited. In its allegations, the CBI further alleged that Vijay Nair acted as a conduit for Kejriwal to get in touch with the accused of the “South Group” headed by co-accused and BRS leader K Kavitha and obtained Rs 100 crore from them in return for favourable tax policy. As chief minister, Kejriwal had a role in “the processing and approval of the rigged tax policy”, it claimed.

The CBI alleged that Kejriwal’s role “has come to light in transfer of ill-gotten money to Goa” through two other accused – Vinod Chauhan and Ashish Mathur – through hawala route.

“Moreover, as the national convenor of the AAP, it was on his (Kejriwal’s) orders that the South Group money was diverted to Goa to meet the election expenses of the AAP. He is also responsible for the end use of the ill-gotten money obtained during the Goa Assembly elections as the AAP is the ultimate beneficiary of the same,” the agency said.

He said AAP Goa in-charge Durgesh Pathak was also allegedly responsible for receiving and utilising the ill-gotten money generated by the “criminal conspiracy” in respect of 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 in cash was sent to Goa to meet election-related expenses.

Two former Goa MPs who contested the assembly elections on the AAP ticket have alleged that a party volunteer paid them cash to cover campaign-related expenses, the CBI said.

It has been alleged that a cartel was formed among three stakeholders in the said policy (alcohol beverage manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers) in violation of the provisions of the policy and against the spirit of the same.

According to the agency, all the conspirators allegedly played an active role in achieving the illegal objectives of the aforementioned “criminal conspiracy,” which resulted in huge losses to the public treasury and undue pecuniary benefits for public officials and other defendants involved in the conspiracy.