ED to Prosecute Kejriwal, Sisodia in Liquor Scam with MHA Approval

The Union Home Ministry has given permission to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to prosecute former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a money laundering case linked to the liquor scam case. The move comes at a time when the two leaders are out on bail in a liquor scam case as the Supreme Court had ordered the release of former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on regular bail in September last year as well as Manish Sisodia in August 2024 in cases related to the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a charge sheet against Arvind Kejriwal under the Prevention of Corruption Act, which had received the necessary sanction for prosecution in August last year. The decision comes after the Supreme Court's verdict on November 6, which said that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will also have to seek prior sanction for prosecution under Section 197(1)  of the Code of Criminal Procedure in money laundering cases, similar to the CBI's requirement.

What is The Liquor Scam Case?

Aam Aadmi Party and former chief minister Arvind Kejriwal have been accused of taking bribes from the 'South Group', a cartel that controls the sale and distribution of liquor in Delhi and allegedly profits from the excise policy implemented by the Delhi government for 2021-22. So far, the ED has conducted searches at 245 locations across the country, including Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai and other places in the case. Over a dozen people, including Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and AAP's Vijay Nair, have been arrested in the case so far. The ED claims that Arvind Kejriwal, as the national convener and a member of the AAP's national executive, was ultimately responsible for overseeing the funds and activities.