Delhi Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena on Saturday authorized the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to pursue prosecution against AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the excise policy scam case, according to sources in the secretariat.
The ED had sought approval to prosecute Kejriwal on December 5, addressing a letter to Delhi Chief Secretary Dharmendra, who also holds the position of Chief Vigilance Officer.
In response, AAP denied the sanction, accusing the ED of mishandling the investigation, which has led to the imprisonment of several party leaders, including Kejriwal and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.
The ED’s request for sanction mentioned that a prosecution complaint (SPC-7) was filed against Kejriwal on May 17, 2024, in relation to irregularities in the implementation of the excise policy for 2021-22. It added that a Special Court had taken cognizance of the case, and the Supreme Court had clarified that provisions of the CrPC applied to the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), reinforcing the need for prosecution approval.
According to officials, Saxena granted the approval for prosecution based on the ED’s request.
In response, AAP criticized the delay, stating: “The fact that they are discussing prosecution approval nearly a year after the complaint was filed shows the carelessness with which the ED is managing this case.”
The party condemned the move as an attempt to “politically tarnish the AAP government,” accusing the ED of violating procedural standards and using the investigation for harassment.
“The so-called liquor scam investigation has been dragging on for two years, with over 50,000 pages of documents, 250 raids, and 500 people harassed. Yet, not a single rupee has been recovered,” AAP claimed. “The BJP’s real objective is to destroy AAP and Arvind Kejriwal by any means.”