Ahead of the 2025 Delhi Assembly elections, Delhi Lieutenant Governor (LG) VK Saxena has granted the Enforcement Directorate (ED) permission to prosecute Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the ongoing excise policy case. The ED had sought approval for prosecution on December 5.
This development follows months of investigation into the Delhi government’s excise policy, which has been surrounded by allegations of corruption. Kejriwal and his party have been accused of involvement in the policy, which the ED claims was structured to benefit AAP leaders and foster cartel formations in the liquor business.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court has extended the deadline for the ED to respond to a petition filed by Kejriwal and former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, challenging the trial court’s decision to accept the ED’s chargesheet in the excise policy case. The matter is set to be heard on February 5 by Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri’s bench.
Both Kejriwal and Sisodia are currently out on bail in the cases filed by the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) related to the now-revoked excise policy. The ED alleges that the policy was designed with loopholes to benefit AAP leaders, who allegedly received kickbacks from liquor businesses in return for favorable treatment. This included providing discounts, waiving license fees, and offering relief during the Covid-19 pandemic. The ED further claims that AAP leaders influenced elections in Punjab and Goa in early 2022 as part of the alleged scam.
