Delhi excise policy case: CBI files charge sheet against CM Arvind Kejriwal

CBI files chargesheet against Arvind Kejriwal in corruption case related to scrapped excise policy, leading to legal battles.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday, July 29, 2024 has filed a chargesheet against Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal in the alleged corruption case related to the now scrapped excise policy, officials said.

The central agency filed the charge sheet before a special CBI court at Rouse Avenue, they said.

Mr. Kejriwal, who is also the AAP national convener, was arrested by the ED on March 21 in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. The Supreme Court has granted him interim bail but he is still in jail as the CBI had arrested him in a corruption case in the same scam.

Mr. Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI on June 26 from Tihar jail, where he was in judicial custody in a related money-laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate.

The Delhi Excise policy 2021-2022 was introduced in November 2021 to revolutionise the liquor retail landscape in the capital. It aimed to maximise revenue for the region, combat the sale of counterfeit alcohol, and enhance the consumer experience. However, following allegations of procedural irregularities, the policy was scrapped on August 1, 2022. Soon after, the federal law enforcement agencies — the CBI and the ED began probing the commission of an alleged scam. While the ED is investigating the alleged money trail, the CBI’s remit has been to investigate corruption and bribery charges against public servants.

In July 2022, Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities surrounding the formulation of the excise policy. This marked the beginning of the agency’s involvement leading to the registration of a corruption case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1998 (PC Act). Although Mr. Kejriwal was interrogated by the CBI in April, he has not been impleaded as an accused in the case. The agency has so far filed four charge sheets against 17 accused persons including former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Bharat Rashtra Samithi legislator K. Kavitha.

Earlier on July 25, a Delhi court on July 25 extended the judicial custody of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in money laundering and corruption cases related to the alleged excise policy “scam”.