Delhi court asks ED to supply papers to accused in excise policy case

Delhi court orders ED to provide documents in excise policy scam involving Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders.

A Delhi court on Tuesday (February 26, 2025) asked the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to provide documents related to excise policy scam, involving former Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) founder Arvind Kejriwal, to accused persons.

Senior AAP leaders, including former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh, BRS leader and former Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao’s daughter K. Kavitha and several liquor businessmen are accused in the scam, being investigated by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation over two years now.

Almost all the renowned persons accused in the case are out on bail.

Special judge Kaveri Baweja of the Rouse Avenue Court passed the order while hearing the applications moved by multiple persons, claiming that they had not received some documents relating to the chargesheet filed in the case.

The court is currently conducting scrutiny of documents submitted by the Central agency. It has posted the matter for further hearing on March 3.

The case stems from a complaint lodged by Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena who alleged irregularities in framing and implementation of the excise policy of Delhi. The initial FIR was lodged by the CBI which in the chargesheet alleged that the irregularities were committed while modifying the excise policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, licence fee was waived or reduced and L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority’s approval. The beneficiaries diverted “illegal” gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of accounts to evade detection.

The ED had later booked the accused persons for money laundering.