News Analysis India

Tag: Delhi

  • Lok Sabha polls 2024: Delhi: BJP targets third consecutive sweep, AAP hopes to capitalise on sympathy wave for Kejriwal

    With the BJP looking to increase its vote share and sweeping Delhi’s seven Lok Sabha seats for the third consecutive time, the AAP — contesting the polls in an alliance with the Congress — hopes to use the “sympathy wave” for arrested Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to break the saffron party’s streak. Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) constituents Congress and AAP are contesting the Lok Sabha elections in an alliance in Delhi, paving the way for a direct contest with the BJP. The AAP has fielded candidates from four seats while the Congress is contesting from three constituencies.

    Both the BJP and the AAP-Congress combine have fielded high-profile candidates, setting the stage for a keen contest to gain electoral supremacy.

    Virendra Sachdeva, the BJP’s Delhi unit chief, has said the challenge for the party this time is to increase the margin of victory. The Northeast Delhi seat, dominated by Purvanchalis and Muslims, will witness a key battle between two candidates who hail from Bihar. The BJP has fielded Manoj Tiwari, who is eyeing a third term in the Lok Sabha while the Congress’ Kanhaiya Kumar will make his electoral debut for the grand old party.

    Kumar had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha polls on a CPI ticket from the Begusarai seat in Bihar.

    A BJP leader in Delhi, requesting anonymity, said Tiwari has a high chance of retaining the seat and asserted that Kumar’s past as a student leader and his association with the Left is likely to have a polarising effect. The Congress is looking to capitalise on Kumar’s popularity and his oratory skills to make a mark in the crucial battle ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections in 2025. In East Delhi, AAP has fielded Kuldeep Kumar — its Dalit MLA — from the general seat in a move that may also impact voters of the community in the 12 reserved Assembly segments spread over different Lok Sabha seats.

    Besides capitalising on a direct contest with the BJP, AAP claims there is an anti-Modi sentiment among Dalit and Muslim voters in East Delhi that will benefit it electorally in the seat.

    In 2019, Gautam Gambhir won the seat after defeating the Congress’ Arvinder Singh Lovely by 3.93 lakh votes. AAP’s Atishi was third in the contest.

    This time, the coming together of AAP and the Congress is likely to consolidate the anti-BJP vote, AAP leaders said.

    BJP leaders in Delhi, however, are confident of retaining all the seven seats the party has held since 2014.

    They pointed out that the votes polled by party candidates on each of the seven seats in 2019 were higher than the total votes secured by the AAP and the Congress candidates.

    In the 2019 elections, the BJP had secured 56.5 per cent of the polled votes in the national capital, the Congress 22 per cent, and the AAP 18.1 per cent.

    The saffron party has also sought to balance the caste factor in announcing its candidates — fielding Harsh Malhotra, a Punjabi from East Delhi, Baniya leader Praveen Khandelwal from Chandni Chowk, MLA and Gujjar leader Ramvir Singh Bidhuri from South Delhi, Jat leader Kamaljeet Sehrawat from West Delhi, and Dalit leader Yogendra Chandolia from the reserved North West Delhi seat.

    It has fielded two women candidates — Sehrawat and Bansuri Swaraj from New Delhi — and that will help bring more women votes, the BJP leaders said.

    AAP is looking to make electoral gains through sympathy in the aftermath of Kejriwal’s arrest in a money-laundering case linked to the Delhi government’s now-scrapped excise policy.

    The party’s campaign also revolves around Kejriwal’s arrest. Its ‘Jail Ka Jawab Vote Se’ campaign urges people to reply to Kejriwal’s arrest with their votes.

    Earlier this month, in an interaction with PTI editors at the news agency’s headquarters, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj had said, “At this point, I do not know about the status outside Delhi but I can say with confidence about Delhi that there is massive sympathy among the people for AAP, Arvind Kejriwal. Even the people who support the BJP are feeling that this is too much and should not have been done.”

    The AAP has also fielded three-time MLA Somnath Bharti from the New Delhi constituency, Sahiram Pehelwan from South Delhi and Congress ex-MP Mahabal Mishra from West Delhi.

    The Congress, which announced its candidates on April 14, has fielded veteran leader JP Agarwal from Chandni Chowk and former BJP MP Udit Raj fron the reserved Northwest Delhi constituency.

  • kanhaiya kumar: Lok Sabha Polls: Congress fields Kanhaiya Kumar from North East Delhi, Channi gets ticket from Jalandhar

    The All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Sunday released a fresh list of candidates for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

    The party has fielded Kanhaiya Kumar from North East Delhi to contest against BJP candidate Manoj Tiwari. Meanwhile, Charanjit Singh Channi has been given ticket from Jalandhar.

    Other candidates in the list were JP Agarwal, Udit Raj, Gurjeet Singh Aujla, Amar Singh, Jeet Mohinder Singh Sidhu, Sukhpal Singh Khaira, Dr Dharamvir Gandhi and Ujjwal Rewati Raman Singh. AICC candidate JP Agarwal will contest from Chandni Chowk against BJP’s Praveen Khandelwal. Udit Raj will contest against BJP leader Yogendra Chandolia from North-West Delhi.

  • ‘BJP Top Leadership Behind Arvind Kejriwal’s Arrest’: AAP MP Sanjay Singh On Liquor Policy Case |

    NEW DELHI: A day after his release from jail, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh held a press conference on Friday during which he claimed that a ”conspiracy” was orchestrated by senior leaders of the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) to arrest his party chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case. Singh accused the BJP of involvement in the Delhi Excise Policy scam, suggesting that high-ranking members of the party were complicit in the alleged wrongdoing.

    Magunta Reddy Forced To Accuse Kejriwal: Sanjay Singh

    Singh highlighted the case of Magunta Reddy and his son Raghav Magunta, asserting that their statements underwent significant alterations under duress. According to Singh, Magunta Reddy initially provided statements that did not implicate Kejriwal but changed his stance following his son’s arrest and prolonged detention. Similarly, Raghav Magunta allegedly altered his testimony after enduring months of incarceration, eventually inculpating Kejriwal in the purported conspiracy.

     

    #WATCH | Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh says, “There is one person, Magunta Reddy, who gave 3 statements, his son Raghav Magunta gave 7 statements. On 16th September, when he (Magunta Reddy) was first asked by ED whether he knew Arvind Kejriwal, he told the truth and said… pic.twitter.com/YzyPrZxYAQ
    — ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2024

     

    Selective Editing by Authorities

    Singh accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of selectively removing statements that did not implicate Kejriwal, thereby allegedly manipulating the narrative to suit their agenda. He claimed that the agency disregarded testimonies that exonerated Kejriwal while emphasizing those that inculpated him, insinuating bias in the investigative process.

    ED Raids And Alleged Intimidation

    Singh further alleged that individuals who initially denied any association with Kejriwal were coerced into incriminating him after facing prolonged detention and intimidation tactics by investigative authorities. He cited the case of Sarath Reddy, whose prolonged detention allegedly led to a change in his testimony, implicating Kejriwal under duress.

     

    #WATCH | Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh says, “…There is a person Sarath Reddy, whose residence was raided on 9th November 2022. When he was asked if he knew Arvind Kejriwal, he denied it and said that he had never met him. 12 statements of Sarath Reddy were recorded… pic.twitter.com/zdynwMchhS
    — ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2024

     

    Following his release, Singh visited a Hanuman temple in Connaught Place, where he prayed for wisdom to prevail within the BJP-led central government. Additionally, he paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. Singh’s post-release activities included a meeting with Sunita Kejriwal, the wife of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

    Arrest Of Delhi CM

    Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the excise policy case. The trial court on April 1, sent Arvind Kejriwal to Judicial Custody till April 15, 2024. ED alleged that the Aam Adami Party (AAP) is the major beneficiary of the proceeds of crime generated in the alleged liquor scam. The agency claimed that Kejriwal was directly involved in the formation of the excise policy. 

    The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi Excise Policy 2022, which was later scrapped. While Kejriwal was not named in the FIRs registered by the ED or the Central Bureau of Investigation in the Delhi excise policy case, his name first found a mention in the ED’s chargesheet, wherein the agency claimed that he allegedly spoke to one of the main accused, Sameer Mahendru, in a video call and asked him to continue working with co-accused and AAP communications-in-charge Vijay Nair. 

    Nair was among the first people to be arrested by the CBI in the case, in 2022. Subsequently, former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh were arrested in connection with the case.

  • Arvind Kejriwal: “BJP afraid of INDIA bloc”: Jairam Ramesh on arrest of Delhi CM Kejriwal

    Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday took a jibe at the BJP over the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, saying it was ‘afraid’ of the INDIA bloc going into the Lok Sabha elections.

    Speaking to ANI, Ramesh said, “The arrest of Jharkhand Chief Minister Champai Soren and Delhi Chief Minister is an attack on democracy and our constitution.”

    “This is politics of revenge at play. The BJP is afraid of the INDIA alliance. This is an attack on democracy and our constitution,” the Congress leader further said. Launching a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he said there is only one thought in the PM’s mind- ‘One Nation No Election’.

    “There is only one thought in the Prime Minister’s mind-‘One Nation, No Election’… The entire country is in OPD-One Person Dictatorship,” he added.

    Earlier, the BJP’s Delhi president Virendraa Sachdeva said the truth surrounding Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s alleged involvement in the liquor scam would soon be revealed.”Law is taking its course…Yesterday he (Arvind Kejriwal) was bargaining in the court that he is the Chief Minister of Delhi, hence he should be given two months but there is a rule of law in the country. The law treats every criminal the same, it is proven today. Soon the truth of Arvind Kejriwal’s involvement in liquor scam will be revealed to everyone,” Sachdeva told ANI.On Friday, Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court sent Kejriwal to ED custody till March 28. The probe agency had asked for 10 days remand after arresting the Delhi CM in the alleged Delhi excise policy case.

    In its arguments before the court, the ED alleged that the Delhi Chief Minister is the key conspirator and kingpin in demanding kickbacks from businessmen. The agency further claimed that Kejriwal was directly involved in the formation of the excise policy.

    The ED counsel claimed that Vijay Nair, who was the media in charge of AAP, was working for Delhi CM Kejriwal. Nair, who the agency said lives adjacent to the residence of Kejriwal, acted as a middleman between the AAP and the South group.

    Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for Kejriwal opposed the remand plea and submitted that the agency needs to show the necessity of arrest. Singhvi argued that the power of arrest and the necessity of arrest are two different things.

    Kejriwal was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in the excise policy case on Thursday after the Delhi High Court refused interim protection to Kejriwal from coercive action in connection with the excise policy case.

    The case pertains to alleged irregularities and money laundering in framing and implementing the Delhi excise policy case 2022, which was later scrapped.

    Two senior AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are in judicial custody in the excise policy case. Sisodia, who was the then Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the CBI on February 26 following several rounds of questioning. On October 5, ED arrested Sanjay Singh, who is a Rajya Sabha member.

    Kejriwal’s arrest came days after the ED arrested Bharat Rashta Samithi (BRS) leader and daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao K Kavitha, in connection with its investigation into money laundering charges linked to the now-scrapped excise policy. Kavitha is in ED custody till March 23.

  • Arvind Kejriwal ED custody: Setback for AAP: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal sent to ED custody till March 28 in liquor case

    In a massive development, a Delhi court on Friday sent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to the Enforcement Directorate’s custody till March 28, a day after his arrest in the excise policy-linked money laundering case.

    Reportedly, Special Judge Kaveri Baweja at the Rouse Avenue court said that Kejriwal will be produced before the court on March 28 at 2 p.m.

    During the proceedings, ED told a special PMLA court that Arvind Kejriwal is kingpin and key conspirator of Delhi liquor scam in collusion with his ministers, AAP leaders.Arvind Kejriwal “took advantage” of being the chief minister of Delhi to facilitate money laundering by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which is a “major beneficiary” of the proceeds of crimes generated in the alleged liquor scam case, the ED claimed.

    “Arvind Kejriwal, chief minister of NCT of Delhi is the kingpin and key conspirator of the Delhi Excise scam in collusion with ministers of Delhi government, AAP leaders and other persons,” the federal agency informed a special PMLA court while seeking his custody.

    It claimed in its remand papers that “Arvind Kejriwal was involved in the conspiracy of formulation of the excise policy 2021-22 to favour certain persons and also involved in the demanding of kickbacks from liquor businessmen in exchange of favours granting in the said policy.”Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, representing the Enforcement Directorate, sought a 10-day remand of Kejriwal in the trial court. The investigating agency informed the court that Kejriwal was the key conspirators in the liquor scam, in addition to another ministers and leaders of AAP.”Kejriwal acted as the middleman between the ‘South group’ and the accused in the liquor scam,” the ED has alleged. Kejriwal received several crores of rupees as kickbacks from this group for formulating and implementing the Delhi Excise Policy, ED has alleged.

    Ahead of the Punjab elections, Kejriwal had demanded Rs 100 crore from some accused from the South group, ED claimed.

    “AAP is not an individual, but a company. So every person responsible for conduct of a company will be held responsible,” ED alleged in the court.

    Raju submitted that the proceeds of crime are not only just Rs 100 crore. “Hawala trails of Rs 45 crores traced, the money was used in Goa election,” ASG said.

    The ED counsel claimed that Vijay Nair, who was the media in charge of AAP, was working for Delhi CM Kejriwal. Nair, who the agency said lives adjacent to the residence of Kejriwal and acted as a middleman between the AAP and the ‘South Group’.

    Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi appearing for Kejriwal opposed the remand plea and submitted that the agency needs to show the necessity to arrest. Singhvi argued that the power of arrest and the necessity of arrest are two different things.

    Singhvi said that in the history of 75 years of independence this is the first time a sitting chief minister is arrested, the first time four leaders of his party are arrested. Singhvi further said it’s like having the result before the first vote is cast.

  • Ajay Maken, Arvinder Singh Lovely, Sandeep Dikshit: Congress Leaders Who First Accused Arvind Kejriwal In Liquor Policy Scam Are Now Rallying Behind Him |

    NEW DELHI: In a remarkable twist of political fate, the Congress party has undergone a notable transformation in its stance towards Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s alleged involvement in the excise policy case and his subsequent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), shifting from accusations to defence. This significant shift in the party’s position has unfolded against the backdrop of the ED’s action in the excise policy case and the recent sealing of a seat-sharing deal between Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the forthcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

    Congress’ Allegations And Protests

    Just a year ago, key figures within the Congress party, including Ajay Maken, Arvinder Singh Lovely, Anil Chowdhary and Sandeep Dikshit, were at the forefront of accusing Arvind Kejriwal in connection to the liquor policy scandal that rocked Delhi in 2023. The party organized protests, demanding Kejriwal’s resignation on grounds of alleged corruption and obstructed investigations while he remained in power. Congress leaders had staged a protest led by Anil Chaudhary near the Aam Aadmi Party office, demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal following the arrest of his deputy Manish Sisodia by the CBI. The party had said a fair probe would not be possible as long as Arvind Kejriwal remains in power. “The entire Delhi government is fully immersed in corruption. As long as Kejriwal remains in power, there will not be an independent probe in the liquor scam, and therefore, he should also submit his resignation,” Chaudhary said.

    The Congress party had also filed a formal complaint regarding what it termed as Kejriwal’s fraudulent liquor policy. AICC media cell chief Pawan Khera had claimed credit for initiating the probe, asserting that Congress pressure had compelled the BJP-led Centre to investigate the Delhi liquor scam.

    Congress’ U-Turn On The Issue

    However, in a surprising about-face, Congress is now rallying behind Arvind Kejriwal following his recent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the excise policy case. Congress Leaders such as Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra have criticized the arrest, branding it as ”unconstitutional and indicative of authoritarian tactics” aimed at stifling democracy. Rahul Gandhi even spoke against PM Narendra Modi after the arrest of Kejriwal and accused him of resorting to “dictatorial tactics” to destroy democracy in the country. He said that the opposition INDIA bloc will give a “befitting reply to this”.

    Delhi Congress President Arvinder Singh Lovely condemned Kejriwal’s arrest, attributing it to BJP’s political manoeuvring ahead of the upcoming elections. Highlighting the pattern of actions taken against Opposition leaders, including the seizure of Congress’ financial resources and the arrest of Jharkhand’s Chief Minister Hemant Soren, Lovely condemned the use of governmental agencies for political ends. “Congress will not be intimidated by these measures and will continue to fight the elections with vigour. As part of the INDIA alliance, we stand firmly with AAP and extend our full support,” he said.

    Sandeep Dikshit, who had previously accused Kejriwal, denounced the arrest as an assault on democratic principles. Dikshit lambasted the BJP, questioning the appropriateness of arresting individuals at their homes and linking such actions directly to the election period. Dikshit emphasized the abnormality of conducting raids at night and suggested that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) could have simply summoned Kejriwal for questioning rather than arresting him, deeming the actions as an attack on democratic principles.

    Political Fallout Of Kejriwal’s Arrest

    The arrest of Kejriwal has injected fresh tension into the political arena, particularly as it coincides with the looming Lok Sabha elections. While AAP leaders have mobilized to challenge the legality of Kejriwal’s arrest, BJP leaders have staunchly defended the ED’s actions, framing them as necessary steps to combat alleged corruption. Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva defended the ED’s actions, accusing Kejriwal of evading accountability in the liquor policy scam and engaging in “political theatrics.” Sachdeva expressed satisfaction over the arrest, asserting that it was a necessary outcome to counteract what he described as Kejriwal’s attempt to corrupt the youth with alcoholism.

    The BJP leadership has also rallied behind the ED’s decision to arrest Kejriwal, framing it as a just resolution in the face of alleged misconduct by the Delhi Chief Minister and his administration in the excise policy scandal.

    Delhi Excise Case Background

    Following a series of developments in the ongoing excise policy case, Kejriwal was produced before the Rouse Avenue court by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday. He was represented by senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi. Kejriwal’s arrest by the ED, which occurred on Thursday, was precipitated by the Delhi High Court’s denial of interim protection against coercive actions related to the excise policy case. This arrest followed Kejriwal’s repeated non-compliance with nine summonses issued by both the Enforcement Directorate and the Delhi High Court, the latter of which declined to grant him relief from potential coercive measures by the investigative agency.

    The crux of the case revolves around allegations of irregularities and money laundering associated with the formulation and execution of the Delhi excise policy in 2022, which was subsequently annulled. Kejriwal’s apprehension occurred amidst a broader investigation into financial improprieties linked to the now-defunct excise policy, with notable figures such as K Kavitha, a leader of the Bharat Rashta Samithi (BRS) and daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, also being ensnared in the probe.

    Preceding Kejriwal’s arrest, other prominent individuals involved in Delhi’s governance faced legal repercussions in connection to the same case. Manish Sisodia, the former Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, was apprehended by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26, while Sanjay Singh, a member of the Rajya Sabha, was arrested by the ED on October 5. Both Sisodia and Singh remain in judicial custody, further highlighting the gravity of the allegations and the legal ramifications surrounding the excise policy case.

    Importantly, Kejriwal’s arrest assumes added significance due to its timing in relation to the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, scheduled to take place between April 19 and June 1. As the political landscape becomes increasingly charged, the ramifications of these legal proceedings extend beyond the confines of the courtroom, influencing the broader discourse surrounding governance and accountability in Delhi.

    What Next For AAP?

    As the legal battle unfolds, with Kejriwal being produced before the court, the political landscape in Delhi remains charged with uncertainty. With key AAP leaders already in judicial custody in connection to the same case, the implications of Kejriwal’s arrest reverberate through the corridors of power, shaping the narrative ahead of the impending elections.

  • Kejriwal arrest: Arvind Kejriwal arrested: Punjab BJP chief demands ED probe into state’s excise policy

    Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Friday said a party delegation will approach the Election Commission and seek an ED probe into the state’s excise policy, which he claimed was tailored in lines with the one in Delhi. “For the (Delhi) excise policy which Kejriwal had to see this day, the same model has been replicated by their government in Punjab,” Jakhar told reporters here.

    Kejriwal, AAP national convener and Delhi Chief Minister, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday night in an excise policy-linked money laundering case in Delhi, triggering massive protests by party workers in the national capital and a few states.

    Jakhar said a high-powered delegation of BJP will go and meet authorities of the Election Commission on Saturday to demand a ED probe. The same excise policy under which many Delhi ministers have been jailed has been implemented in Punjab by Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann, he said.

    The BJP leader said that Kejriwal should have resigned immediately after his arrest but his party leaders are saying that Kejriwal would continue as chief minister.

    This shows that the AAP supremo does not trust his party’s leaders and the party is “power hungry”, Jakhar added. The state BJP chief said that Congress leaders in the state who had demanded an ED probe into the excise policy earlier should also approach the Election Commission.

    “Kejriwal will go into the annals of history as the first sitting chief minister to go to jail in an excise policy case,” he said.

  • No Interim Relief For Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal From HC In ED Summons Case |

    In a setback for the Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi High Court refused to grant any interim protection from coercive action by the Enforcement Directorate. The Delhi HC said at this stage it are not inclined to grant an interim relief. However, the court sought a response from the ED on the fresh interim plea and listed the matter for April 22, 2024. The ED will have to submit its reply before April 22.

    The Delhi High Court made the observations while hearing a plea filed by Chief Minister Kejriwal seeking protection from coercive actionn by the ED in an excise policy-linked money-laundering case. The application for interim relief forms part of Kejriwal’s petition challenging the summonses issued to him for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate.

    The ED has so far issued nine summons to CM Kejriwal but the AAP leaders has skipped all terming them illegal and an attempt by the Centre to arrest him ahead of the polls. On Wednesday, the Delhi HC had asked Kejriwal why he was not appearing before the agency.

    During the last hearing, Senior Advocate Abhishek Singhvi, speaking on behalf of the petitioner, emphasized the necessity for his client to cooperate with the Enforcement Directorate (ED), while also requesting protection from any coercive measures. Singhvi highlighted the agency’s evident inclination to apprehend his client, particularly with elections looming, underscoring the urgency of safeguarding against such actions.

    In the petition, Kejriwal alleged that the arbitrary implementation of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) is being utilized to create an unfair advantage for the ruling party in the upcoming general elections. This, Kejriwal contended, threatens to distort the electoral process in favor of the incumbent party at the national level.

    The case revolves around accusations of corruption and money laundering related to the development and implementation of the Delhi government’s excise policy for the fiscal year 2021-2022, which was subsequently revoked.

    In connection with this case, AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are currently under judicial custody. Kejriwal’s involvement has been repeatedly cited in the charge sheets filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The agency alleges that the accused individuals maintained communication with Kejriwal during the formulation of the excise policy, which allegedly resulted in unjust advantages for them. In purported exchange, they allegedly provided kickbacks to the AAP.

  • ED Summons Arvind Kejriwal In Another Money Laundering Case Linked To DJB |

    New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a second money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), official sources said Sunday.

    He has been asked to depose before the central agency at its office at A P J Abdul Kalam Road on March 18 and record his statement under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the sources said.

    This is the second case registered under the anti-money laundering law in which the 55-year-old politician, also the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been summoned.

    He is already facing summons for questioning in the Delhi excise policy linked money laundering case. Kejriwal has skipped eight summons in this case till now, terming them illegal. A fresh and ninth such notice in the excise policy case stipulates him to appear before the ED investigating officer on March 21.

    Reacting to the summons in the second case, Delhi minister Atishi told reporters on Sunday that, “Nobody knows what this DJB case is about. This seems to be a backup plan to arrest Kejriwal anyhow and stop him from campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls”.

    The ED, in the DJB case, has alleged that bribe money generated from corruption in a contract issued by this Delhi government department was “passed on” as election funds to the AAP that currently rules the national capital.

    The ED raided the premises of Kejriwal’s personal assistant Bibhav Kumar, AAP Rajya Sabha MP N D Gupta, former DJB member Shalabh Kumar, chartered accountant Pankaj Mangal and some others as part of this investigation in February.

    A CBI FIR which alleges that former chief engineer of DJB Jagdish Kumar Arora awarded a contract of the DJB to a company NKG Infrastructure Ltd for a total cost of Rs 38 crore despite the fact that the company “did not meet” the technical eligibility criteria, is the basis of the ED case.

    The ED arrested Arora and a contractor named Anil Kumar Aggarwal in this case on January 31.

    NKG Infrastructure Ltd obtained the bid by submitting “forged” documents and Arora “was aware of the fact that the company does not meet the technical eligibility,” the agency claimed.

    An ED statement alleged that Arora “received” bribe in cash and in bank accounts after awarding the contract to NKG Infrastructure Ltd. And that he “passed on” this money to various persons managing the affairs at DJB, including “persons connected with AAP”.

    “Bribe amounts were also passed on as election funds to AAP,” it claimed.

    This is the second case where the federal agency has charged the AAP with taking kickbacks. It has claimed that bribe money from the scrapped excise policy of 2021-22 was used by the Arvind Kejriwal-led party for campaigning in Goa assembly elections.

    The agency said that the DJB contract was awarded at “highly inflated rates” so that the bribes could be collected from the contractors.

    “As against the contract value of Rs 38 crore, only about Rs 17 crore was spent towards the contract and the remaining amounts were siphoned off in guise of various fake expenses.” “Such fake expenses were booked for bribes and election funds,” the ED claimed.

    Delhi minister Atishi had claimed in a press briefing after the raids that the officials of the agency just sat in the living room of Bibhav Kumar and took with them only two Gmail account downloads and three family phones.

     

  • farmers protest: We have objection to farmers’ method: Haryana CM Khattar on farmers protest

    Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Khattar on Thursday criticised the “method” adopted by farmers to press their demands, saying they are trying to march to Delhi like an army on the offensive. He said the farmers are moving with tractor-trolleys, earth-movers and ration for a year — just like an army.

    “We have an objection to their method,” Khattar said on the farmers’ call for going to Delhi. “We do not have any objection to them going to Delhi. There are trains, buses and their own vehicles. But a tractor is not a mode of transport. It is an agricultural equipment.”

    Farmers from Punjab are camping at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points seeking to march towards Delhi to press the Centre to accept their demands. The farmer leaders have said they will not make any fresh attempt to move towards the national capital till the meeting is held, asserting that the next course of action will be decided on the basis of the Centre’s proposals.

    Khattar also referred to the farmers’ previous agitation against the now-repealed farm laws and said how they camped at Tikri and Singhu borders for a year and causes hardships to many people.

    “Even today, there are several videos of people appealing that they (farmers) should be stopped as their businesses will suffer,” said Khattar, responding to a question on the farmers’ call for ‘Dilli Chalo’. We have an objection to their (farmers) method,” said Khattar on farmers’ call for going to Delhi. Khattar said everybody has democratic right to visit the national capital. “But how to proceed, what is the motive? These things must be kept in mind.”

    To a question on Thursday’s meeting between the three union ministers and farmer leaders in Chandigarh, Khattar said he is hopeful that some way out will emerge.

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