Centre Approves ED’s Prosecution of Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia in Money Laundering Case
The Centre has granted approval to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to prosecute Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, along with senior AAP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, in a money laundering case related to the controversial 2021-22 liquor scam. Sources confirmed that the Union Home Ministry has authorized the ED to take legal action against both leaders under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The case revolves around alleged money laundering connected to the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which was later scrapped by Kejriwal’s AAP-led government. The prosecution is centered on accusations that Kejriwal and Sisodia were involved in generating and utilizing illicit funds, with claims that bribes were taken from a liquor cartel known as the ‘South Group,’ which allegedly benefitted from the policy.
This development follows a key ruling by the Supreme Court in November 2024, which required the ED to obtain prior sanction for prosecution in money laundering cases, similar to the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) protocol. The ruling was in response to a challenge posed by Kejriwal, who sought to halt the framing of charges in the absence of such prior sanction. A special PMLA court in Delhi had paused the charge framing after Kejriwal’s plea, but the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi, V.K. Saxena, granted permission to the ED for prosecution in December 2024.
In parallel, the CBI filed its charge sheet in August 2024, under the Prevention of Corruption Act, against Kejriwal in relation to the excise policy, securing the necessary sanction for prosecution. The ED’s move to prosecute Kejriwal follows its earlier charge sheet, in which it named him as a key figure responsible for the management and utilization of funds generated through the alleged bribery scheme.
Both Kejriwal and Sisodia have firmly denied the charges against them, calling the accusations politically motivated. They have repeatedly claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is using investigative agencies to harass political opponents. The two leaders are currently out on bail and continue to campaign actively for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections scheduled for February 5, 2025. Kejriwal has announced plans to file his nomination on Wednesday from the New Delhi constituency.
As the legal proceedings unfold, both Kejriwal and Sisodia remain central figures in the ongoing political and legal battle surrounding the excise policy and its implications for the AAP.
