Enforcement Directorate has moved to Rouse Avenue Court and filed a complaint against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for not complying with the summons issued by the agency in the Delhi liquor policy money laundering case. Court heard some submissions today and put up for February 7, for the remaining submissions and consideration.
Category: Politics
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Sanjay Singh: Delhi excise policy case: Court allows AAP MP Sanjay Singh to take oath in custody
The Rouse Avenue court on Saturday allowed AAP MP Sanjay Singh to take oath as MP Rajya Sabha on February 5, 2024, in custody. He has been arrested and charge-sheeted in the Delhi Excise Policy money laundering case.Meanwhile, the court extended the judicial custody of Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and AAP MP Sanjay Singh till February 17. Both were produced physically before the court.Special Judge M. K. Nagpal allowed Sanjay Singh’s request to allow him to take oath in judicial custody.He withdrew the plea, seeking interim bail to attend the ongoing Parliament session and to take the oath. It was submitted that he has to appear before a court in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, on February 7.
Advocates Rajat Bhardwaj, Dr Farrukh Khan and Prakash Priydarshi appeared for Sanjay Singh.
During the hearing, advocate Tanveer Ahmed Mir, counsel for Amandeep Singh Dhall, submitted that he had received CCTV footage without audio supplied.It was also submitted that the footage contains a confrontation between Dinesh Arora and Amandeep Singh Dhall in March 2023 but it is without audio. Tanveer Ahmed Mir has again submitted that the CCTV footage with audio be provided.He also submitted that some allegations were levelled by Dinesh Arora on April 23, 2023, three days before the filing of the prosecution complaint against Dhall. These allegations were not made in March 2023.
He also referred to the Supreme Court judgement in Paramveer Saini, where it was directed that all investigation agencies shall have CCTV cameras with video and audio facilities installed.
Advocate Rajat Bhardwaj moved an application seeking a supply of statements recorded before the court, including those of Raghav Magunta and P Sharat Reddy. Their statements were recorded and given a pardon; now their statements are under unrelied documents.
The court noted that an application seeking CCTV footage of Dinesh Arora and Sharat Reddy was also filed, but reply not filed.
An application seeking a direction to place a record of the emails written by accused Dhall to ED is also filed. All these applications will be heard on the next date of hearing.
The court, on December 19, took cognizance of the supplementary prosecution complaint (charge sheet) filed against AAP MP Sanjay Singh and his Associate Sarvesh Mishra.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on December 2, filed a supplementary prosecution complaint (charge sheet) against Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh and his alleged associate Sarvesh Mishra in a money laundering case related to the Excise policy case.
On October 4, AAP MP Sanjay Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.
Earlier, a charge sheet was filed against Manish Sisodia. According to the Enforcement Directorate, it’s a fifth supplementary chargesheet in the case. This case is presently at the stage of scrutiny of documents.
ED earlier told the court that Sanjay Singh was part of the conspiracy to collect kickbacks from liquor groups in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
Sanjay Singh allegedly had close relations with now approver Dinesh Arora, who allegedly introduced accused Amit Arora to Sanjay Singh
Dinesh Arora was in regular touch with Sanjay Singh. This has been proven by an analysis of Call Detail Records. Singh allegedly received proceeds of crime of Rs 2 crore, stated the ED.
ED earlier claimed that Singh and his associates played a part in the Delhi government’s decision to give licenses to alcohol shops and merchants in 2020, causing losses to the state exchequer and violating anti-corruption laws
ED had previously searched a number of locations, including the homes and offices of Sanjay Singh’s close associate, Ajit Tyagi and other contractors and businessmen who allegedly benefited from the policy. In its nearly 270-page supplementary charge sheet, the ED has called Sisodia a key conspirator in the case.
The Delhi liquor scam case or the excise policy case pertains to allegations that the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22 allowed cartelization and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge that has been strongly refuted by the AAP.
Last year, ED filed its first chargesheet in the case. The agency said it has so far undertaken over 200 search operations in this case after filing an FIR after taking cognizance of a CBI case that was registered on the recommendation of the Delhi lieutenant governor.
The CBI inquiry was recommended based on the findings of the Delhi chief secretary’s report filed in July showing prima facie violations of the GNCTD Act 1991, Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR)-1993, Delhi Excise Act-2009, and Delhi Excise Rules-2010.
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Rahul Gandhi’s Yatra hits roadblock; Mamata Banerjee attacks Congress
The ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’ led by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday could not complete the Murshidabad’s Kandi and Birbhum part fully in West Bengal due to the class 10 board examination. Later on, the yatra entered Jharkhand after crossing parts of Birbhum’s Murarai. The Congress leadership, however, emphasised on INDIA bloc’s fight against the BJP-RSS in the country.Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said, “There is only one party – Congress in the country – which has never supported BJP. That is why the INDIA bloc has been formed as we will fight together and defeat the BJP and RSS ideology. The INDIA bloc parties want to defeat BJP. Mamataji also said her priority is to defeat BJP. If there are differences, those can be ironed out.”In contrast to Congress’ mellowed stance, Trinamool supremo Mamata Banerjee attacked the party and said, “We told Congress to fight 300 Lok Sabha seats across the country and give the rest to the regional parties. But they did not listen to us. They (Congress) came to Bengal and they are tinkling Muslims… BJP does this in the case of Hindus. This cannot happen. No one knows if they will win even 40 seats in the country,” Banerjee said.
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MLA poaching claims: Delhi Police serves notice to Arvind Kejriwal over MLA poaching claims: Sources
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has recently found himself entangled in a political storm, as the Delhi Police Crime Branch delivered a notice to his residence following his claims of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) attempting to sway seven Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs. This development comes in the wake of Kejriwal’s accusation that the BJP had offered a substantial ₹25 crore each to lure the AAP legislators, a claim that prompted the BJP to file a police complaint in response.Arvind Kejriwal made headlines when he publicly stated that the BJP was engaged in a dubious endeavor to “buy” seven AAP MLAs with an offer of ₹25 crore each. The BJP promptly responded by filing an official police complaint, setting the stage for a legal face-off. The accusations have created a political stir, putting the focus on the alleged attempts to destabilize the Kejriwal-led government.In a post on X, Kejriwal claimed that seven of his party MLAs had been contacted by “them”, or the BJP, and warned that he could be arrested soon. The MLAs were allegedly promised Rs 25 crore and a BJP ticket each to contest the elections after the toppling of the Delhi government, the AAP leader charged. Kejriwal added that all the seven AAP MLAs refused to quit the party.
In a significant development, according to sources, a team from the Delhi Police Crime Branch visited the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to deliver a notice related to the AAP’s claims against the BJP. The police officials have explicitly requested the Chief Minister to provide evidence substantiating the serious allegations made by the Aam Aadmi Party.
The situation intensifies as the Delhi Police, responsible for maintaining law and order in the capital, operates under the jurisdiction of the Union Home Ministry.
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“World’s biggest party caught stealing votes”, Kejriwal led AAP protests against BJP
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal, along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and other party leaders, protested in Delhi against the BJP over the Chandigarh mayoral elections.”BJP messes up in elections; there were often allegations that BJP wins elections by messing up; BJP steals election votes, tampers with EVMs, gets names removed from the voter list, and adds fake names, we heard. We used to hear that fake votes were cast, but never found any proof. There is a verse written in the Gita, Yada Yada hi Dharmasya Glanirbhavati Bharata: whenever too much sin is committed on this earth, then the God above will come to the earth. This election in Chandigarh shows that they are the pot of sin. How did it get filled? When the pot of sin gets filled too much, then nature moves its broom, God moves its broom, and corrects things. The Chandigarh election was a small one. The world’s biggest party was caught stealing votes in the Chandigarh elections; it was caught red-handed.” said CM Kejriwal at Delhi while addressing the protest.”We have not come here to seek power. Elections keep coming. Parties keep on coming and going. Leaders keep on coming. Leaders keep on coming. Today the BJP is ruling; tomorrow someone else will be. There should not be any playing with our democracy; those who have started playing with the elections, those who are playing with the democracy, were caught on camera,” the CM added.Speaking about the potential misuse of election machinery on a large scale in the Lok Sabha election, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said, “If they can create such a big mess in a small election like Chandigarh, then it is obvious that they can create such a big mess in the Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, whether it is so or not, no matter how they come in front of the country. This is a wrong thing, so friends, we strongly condemn it and today, from this platform, I want to warn the people of the country that when you come after casting your vote, you think that you voted for a particular party, but after that, your vote gets counted. What happens is nothing; you press someone’s button inside the machine, the vote goes to someone’s account, and someone’s name is removed from the voter list, If democracy is in danger, election are meaningless.”
“We all have to come together and raise our voice against it, under any circumstances, we should not let democracy die; do not let the country be tampered with. Now we will not make any mess in a peaceful manner; we will peacefully go towards the headquarters of BJP. We will stop wherever the police stop us, we should not not have to quarrel with the police,” said CM Kejriwal.
Earlier the Delhi Chief Minister skipped the fifth summons from the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the alleged Delhi Liquor scam. Kejriwal and his party have called the summons illegal.The BJP however accused the Delhi CM of running away from the investigative agency.”Arvind Kejriwal, if there is nothing to hide…then why are you not presenting yourself before the ED and other agencies? You are the same Kejriwal who, under Anna Hazare’s tutelage, said that first there should be resignation and then investigation. Today you refuse to cooperate with investigation. You say that these are all politically motivated, as if doing ‘bhrashtachar’ is your ‘shishtachar’…How long will you play this victimhood card?…This is the ‘charitra’ of INDI alliance, that the only thing that binds them is commission and corruption, not a mission or vision” BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawala said.
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Jharkhand political unrest: Champai Soren to take oath as CM today, floor test in 10 days – The Economic Times Video
In a significant turn of events, amidst the political unrest in Jharkhand, Champai Soren, a leader of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha party, is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Jharkhand today. On Thursday, Jharkahnd Governor CP Radhakrishnan invited Champai Soren to Raj Bhavan to form the government in the state. Champai Soren, a loyalist of JMM leader Hemant Soren has been mandated to demonstrate his majority in a floor test, which will be held within the next 10 days.
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Nitin Gadkari on Union Interim Budget, says ‘It aims to strengthen India’s economic sector’ – The Economic Times Video
Praising Union Interim Budget 2024, Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari on February 01 said that this budget aimed to strengthen India’s economic sector and to speed up the country’s development and increase employment. “Finance Minister’s Budget is aimed to strengthen India’s economic sector, in line with PM Modi’s resolve to make India the third largest economy of the world…This is a budget to speed up country’s development and increase employment…,” said Nitin Gadkari.
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Jharkhand political crisis: 12 hours after Hemant Soren’s resign, no CM in the state; JMM to move MLAs to resort – The Economic Times Video
The Hemant Soren has resigned and JMM has elected Champai Soren as the Legislative Party leader. The coalition says that the governor has not given time to meet yet. The JMM has 29 seats, Congress 17, RJD 1 MLA in the government currently. The BJP has 26 MLAs and AJSU has 3. The congress party has accused the governor of deliberately delaying the process of government formation.
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hemant soren arrest: “Blow to Federalism”: Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi, Tejashwi assails Centre over Hemant Soren’s resignastion
Reacting sharply to the resignation of Jharkhand Chief Minister and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) leader Hemant Soren, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that forcing Hemant Soren to resign is a blow to Federalism. In a post on ‘X’, Mallikarjun Kharge said, “One who will not go with PM Modi will go to jail. Imposing ED against Jharkhand Chief Minister, Hemant Soren and forcing him to resign is a blow to Federalism. Intimidating opposition leaders by making the provisions of PMLA draconian is part of the BJP’s tool kit.”He further said that the BJP’s work of destabilising the opposition governments one by one as part of a conspiracy was continuing. “Whoever went into the BJP’s washing machine is clean as white; who didn’t go was tainted. If democracy has to be saved from dictatorship, then the BJP will have to be defeated. We will not be afraid, Will continue to fight from Parliament to the streets,” he added.
Meanwhile, reacting to the same, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said that the aim of the BJP government was an opposition-free parliament, a democracy-free India, a question-free media, and a harmony-free public.
“Opposition-free parliament, democracy-free India, question-free media and harmony-free public, this is the aim of the BJP government. Governments are being toppled one by one in all the states,” she said in a post on X, adding, “Opposition leaders are being harassed. Whoever does not join BJP will go to jail. Harassing Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren ji by imposing ED and forcing him to resign is a part of this malicious campaign.”She further said that the BJP has this illusion that it can crush the voice of 140 crore people. The public will answer for every atrocities, she added.Rashtriya Janata Dal leader Tejashwi Yadav also sharply reacted to the ED’s move: “Bihar, Chandigarh and now Jharkhand! BJP has ruined democracy and federalism in a single week. It is not hidden from anyone what the central government is doing by destroying the impartiality of the investigating agencies due to the fear of electoral defeat and by making the agencies cells of the BJP,” he said.
He further went on to say that the public will break the arrogance of the BJP. RJD is standing with Hemant Soren, he asserted.
Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren resigned on Wednesday evening after over six hours of questioning by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in connection with a money laundering probe linked to the alleged land scam case.
Champai Soren, the state transport minister and a loyalist of Hemant Soren, will step into his role as the Chief Minister.
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JMM's Champai Soren to be next Jharkhand Chief Minister as Hemant Soren to steps down
JMM's Champai Soren to be next Jharkhand Chief Minister as Hemant Soren to steps down