The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has unveiled startling details in its chargesheet concerning the Delhi liquor scandal. The document reveals the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's alleged roles in the excise policy. Furthermore, it identifies Charanpreet as an accused in the funds' transfer through hawala. The chargesheet furnishes proof of direct messages between Kejriwal and Vinod Chauhan, who is accused of managing the criminal proceeds. As per the documents secured by us, the chargesheet meticulously lists bank note serial numbers and WhatsApp conversations.
The ED's chargesheet clearly states that the AAP is complicit in the liquor scam, designating the party as Accused No. 38. It specifically summons a key AAP player for the 12th of July. According to the ED, bribes totaling 100 crore were taken in the excise policy, out of which 45 crore were directly allotted to the AAP for Goa's Assembly elections.
The money, allegedly garnered from criminal activity, was funneled to Goa through hawala and subsequently employed for campaign financing. Kejriwal's AAP is accused of utilizing and concealing 45 crore rupees of this illicit fund. The ED claims that Charanpreet managed the hawala-transferred money in Goa, revealing the direct negotiations between Vinod Chauhan and Abhishek Boinpalli over these transfers.
The ED maintains that this clear money trail implicates how the South Group's bribery funds were used by the AAP for Goa elections. Evidence of WhatsApp chats confirms the involvement of Vinod Chauhan in hawala transfers between him and Kejriwal. Kejriwal's proximity to the accused and the manipulative attempts to derail the investigation have also been highlighted in the chargesheet, signaling a broader conspiracy.
Source: aajtak
The intimate relations between Kejriwal and Vinod Chauhan are evident from their WhatsApp exchanges, which included discussions about postings in the Delhi Jal Board, meeting arrangements with the CM and frequent friendly messages. ED alleges that Chauhan was aware that the transferred funds were profits from the Delhi liquor scam and intended for AAP's Goa election campaign.
According to the ED's chargesheet, images recovered from Chauhan's phone corroborate the allegations. Photos matching the serial numbers of banknotes previously seized by the Income Tax Department confirm Chauhan's role in the bribe transfer from Delhi to Goa. Further testimonies and evidences suggest that Chauhan handled the hawala transactions for Goa's elections.
The court has taken cognizance of the ED's chargesheet set for hearing on Thursday. It incriminates Kejriwal and the AAP among 38 accused, with Kejriwal at No. 37 followed by AAP at No. 38. The chargesheet brands Kejriwal as the kingpin and conspirator in the case, indicating the use of bribe money in the Goa elections, with full knowledge of his involvement. It details how K Kavitha's PA directed 25.5 crore rupees through hawala to the AAP for Goa elections via Vinod Chauhan.
Kejriwal is presently incarcerated at Tihar Jail, having been arrested by the ED on 21 March 2024 in the Delhi liquor scandal. The ED is investigating the money laundering angle of the scam, while CBI has also tightened the screws on Kejriwal. In May, ED filed a nearly 200-page charge document in a Delhi court, marking the eighth chargesheet in the case. Arrests include Arvind Kejriwal, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, BRS leader K Kavitha, and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, totaling 18 individuals. Sanjay Singh has been released on orders of the Supreme Court.
