Delhi liquor policy case: A day after arresting AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has said it will on Thursday inform the Supreme Court that it is going to make the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) an accused in the Delhi liquor policy case.
On Wednesday, the apex court had asked the central probe agency to clarify as to why the AAP (the whole party) was not made an accused in the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case. The ED has alleged that the party has been a beneficiary in the case.
The court was hearing two petitions filed by Sisodia challenging the decisions of the Delhi High Court to deny him bail in the cases being investigated by the CBI and the ED.
A bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti said the explanation was sought as a legal question in context with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
“We want to clarify that our question was not to implicate anyone. Suppose, if as per the prosecution, the beneficiary is A and if A is not being prosecuted, can B or C be prosecuted? In that context, the question was posed,” Justice Khanna said while hearing the bail plea of Sisodia.
The bench also asked Additional Solicitor General Raju to address the court on the justiciability of cabinet notes and decisions. “I believe there are Constitution bench judgments barring us from examining cabinet notes. I do not know if it applies to Delhi, because it is a Union Territory.”
AAP’s protest in Delhi
Delhi witnessed protests and counter-protests on Thursday after AAP MP Sanjay Singh was arrested in connection with the Delhi excise policy. His arrest triggered a political firestorm as Delhi Chief Minister and AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being behind it.
“AAP is a staunch, honest party. We all know that the path of honesty is difficult. If we become dishonest like them, then all of our problems will be resolved,” Kejriwal said.
“More than 1,000 raids have been conducted in this liquor case and several people have been arrested but they are not able to recover even a single penny. PM Modi is involved in corruption from tip to toe. I think after Independence, he is the most corrupt Prime Minister of our country,” he said.
Reacting to the development, Delhi Education Minister Atishi said, “It is clear that the ED has no evidence against Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh. Hence, they want to make the AAP party accused in the case. Even after 15 months of probe, there is not a shred of evidence against Sisodia and Singh.”
“It is a new propaganda by ED,” she said.
ED officials have claimed that Singh, along with partners, had a role in the Delhi government’s decision to award licenses to alcohol merchants and shops in 2020, ANI reported. This had caused losses to the state exchequer and was in violation of the anti-graft laws.
The Delhi liquor policy
The Delhi government adopted the new liquor policy in November 2021. In the new excise policy, the Delhi government stopped retail sale of liquor and allowed private licensees to run stores.
As per the government, the new excise policy was introduced to crack down on black marketing and help boost the government revenue. The controversy over the excise policy started with allegations that the AAP government extended “undue financial favours” to the liquor licensees, causing huge loss to the exchequer.
Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into the matter. A report by the Chief Secretary of Delhi on July 8, 2022 also showed prima facie violations of GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR) 1993, Delhi Excise Act 2009 and Delhi Excise Rules 2010.
Soon after on July 30, the new policy was rolled back.
Also read: ‘The kingpin is still out… his turn will also come’: Anurag Thakur after arrest of AAP’s Sanjay Singh in excise policy case
Also read: Explained: Why AAP MP Sanjay Singh was arrested by ED in Delhi excise policy case
