‘Discovered chats between Kejriwal and hawala operators’: ED tells Supreme Court
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday said that it has discovered chats between Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and “hawala operators” regarding the alleged proceeds of crime in the money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy case.
The agency claims that the chats were recovered from the devices of hawala operators after Kejriwal refused to share his devices’ passwords.
The submission was made during a hearing on Arvind Kejriwal’s petition challenging the validity of his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in the case.
A top court bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta reserved its judgement after hearing senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi and Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, who appeared for Kejriwal and the Enforcement Directorate, respectively.
“Arguments heard. Judgement reserved. Notwithstanding the same, and without prejudice to rights and contentions, the appellant can move the trial court for grant of bail in accordance with law,” the bench said in its order.
The Delhi chief minister was arrested on March 21 in the money laundering case. He was granted interim bail from May 10 to June 1 for campaigning in the Lok Sabha elections by the Supreme Court. The top court has ordered him to surrender on June 2.
ED files charge sheet against Kejriwal, AAP
The Enforcement Directorate has filed its charge sheet against Arvind Kejriwal and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22, making it first political party ever to be named as accused in a charge sheet.
An official familiar with the development said, “A detailed prosecution complaint (or charge sheet) has been filed based on irrefutable evidence that shows that Kejriwal is the key conspirator who used his position as the CM of Delhi to facilitate the offence of money laundering punishable u/s 4 of PMLA (prevention of money laundering act) by the ‘company’ i.e. AAP”.
“AAP has been named as accused under PMLA as it was the major beneficiary of the proceeds of crime generated in the excise policy”, said the official. “At least Rs.45 crore out of Rs.100 crore bribes taken in lieu of favouring certain liquor traders was used for AAP’s Goa poll campaign and as national convenor and member of party’s national executive, Kejriwal was ultimately responsible for funds being used and generated”, added the official.
This charge sheet is the eighth in the series filed by the ED under PMLA in the excise case since November 2022.