NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate is most likely to file the 7th charge sheet in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case in the next few days where, as per sources, it may name Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, BRS leader K Kavitha, and some other people as an accused in the case.
According to sources, the federal probe agency has readied a prosecution complaint against half-a-dozen entities, including the two politicians, some linked individuals and companies.
The agency may also name the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in this charge sheet along with attachment of some fresh assets in the case that was registered in 2022.
Notably, the ED filed an affidavit before the Supreme Court vehemently opposing granting any interim bail to CM Kejriwal, who is currently lodged at the Tihar Jail. The Apex court’s two-judge bench, led by Justice Sanjiv Khanna and also comprising Justice Dipankar Datta is scheduled to hear the case on Friday.
The sources further said the agency, in its fresh chargesheet, is expected to charge Kejriwal with non-cooperation in its investigation and being liable for the offence committed by the AAP, being the national convenor of the said party.
The ED has so far arrested 18 people including Kejriwal’s party colleague and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and others. Singh was granted bail sometime back.
Meanwhile, AAP sources alleged that the party in power at the Centre only intends to defame Kejriwal and it is nothing more than BJP’s chargesheet.
Kejriwal, who was arrested on March 21 by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the alleged excise policy case, is currently lodged in Jail No. 2. The ED has called Kejriwal as the “kingpin” and “key conspirator” of the excise case. It has also alleged that Rs 45 crore “kickbacks”, out of the Rs 100 crore “bribe” provided by the ‘South Group’, were used by the AAP for the Goa assembly election campaign in 2022.