Explained: Why Enforcement Directorate Wants To Arrest Arvind Kejriwal

The ED arrested Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today

New Delhi:

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal today in the liquor policy case. AAP leaders Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj had earlier said they suspected the ED would arrest him today. Mr Kejriwal had skipped the central probe agency’s summons nine times.

ED’s allegations and timeline:

The ED in a press note had called Mr Kejriwal a “conspirator” in the case.

Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha allegedly conspired with Mr Kejriwal, and AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh while framing the now-scrapped liquor policy case, the ED has said.

The alleged conspiracy involved making a policy that would benefit a liquor lobby from southern India, which the ED had called the “South Lobby”.

In return, the “South Lobby” would give Rs 100 crore to the AAP, according to the ED.

Mr Kejriwal’s name had appeared in the statements of some accused and witnesses. The ED has mentioned this in its remand note and chargesheets.

Vijay Nair, one of the accused in the liquor policy case, frequently visited Mr Kejriwal’s office, and would spend most of his time there, the probe agency said.

Mr Nair allegedly told liquor traders that he discussed the policy with Mr Kejriwal. It was Mr Nair, who got Indospirit owner Sameer Mahendru to meet Mr Kejriwal, the investigators have said.

When the meeting was unsuccessful, he got Mr Mahendru and Mr Kejriwal talk in a video call, in which Mr Kejriwal said Mr Nair was his “child” who he trusts.

Raghav Magunta, the first accused in the “South Lobby” and now a witness, had said his father, who is a YSR Congress Party MP, met Mr Kejriwal to know more about the liquor policy.

Mr Sisodia’s former secretary C Arvind in a statement in December 2022 had said that in March the previous year he got a draft group of ministers report from Mr Sisodia.

When he went to Mr Kejriwal’s house after Mr Sisodia called him, Mr Arvind said he also saw Satyendar Jain there and the document. He alleged he was surprised because no such proposal was discussed in any group of ministers’ (GoM) meeting, but claimed he was asked to make a GoM report based on this document.