‘Criminal conspiracy to privatise excise policy’: CBI’s allegation against Arvind Kejriwal, AAP

In its recently filed supplementary charge sheet, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) benefited from the illicit funds generated through the criminal conspiracy in the defunct excise policy.

The agency claimed Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had been involved in the criminal conspiracy linked to formulating and implementing the policy from the start.

It accused the party of having a preconceived plot to privatise the policy to seek financial support. The agency accused Kejriwal’s close associate Vijay Nair – who got bail earlier this week – of demanding illegal gratification from business owners in exchange for favourable adjustments to the policy, reported ANI.

The charge sheet claims since Nair had no authority to approach stakeholders, he couldn’t have done so without Arvind Kejriwal’s direction.

The CBI claimed AAP’s disclosure of expenditure during the Goa election campaign was misleading because it only listed payments made through banks, not cash payments to vendors, assembly managers, booth in-charges, and volunteers.

The agency alleged the illicit funds generated through the conspiracy were pumped into AAP’s election campaign in Goa.

The CBI has stated that oral and documentary evidence shows that AAP leader Durgesh Pathak, who was the overall in-charge of AAP for the Goa assembly elections, managed the election-related expenditures. It is also established that Chanpreet Singh Rayat collected illicit money through hawala channels in Goa and made cash payments. Rayat acted under the direction of Durgesh Pathak, reported ANI.

Several AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, had been arrested in connection with the alleged scam. Sisodia was released earlier this year after being in jail since February 2023. Singh had been released on bail earlier.

Arvind Kejriwal has been in jail since March 11. The Supreme Court will today hear his plea for bail in the corruption case filed by the CBI.