Prateeksha Thakur
New Delhi, 21 December 2024
Former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has suffered a major political blow ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections. Lieutenant Governor (LG) V.K. Saxena has approved the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) request to prosecute Kejriwal in connection with the excise policy case.
The ED has alleged that Arvind Kejriwal accepted a bribe of ₹100 crore, granting undue benefits to certain entities. However, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has denied these allegations, claiming that despite two years of investigation, no evidence of financial wrongdoing has been found.
AAP has dismissed the allegations as baseless and misleading. The party has also demanded that the ED provide a copy of the sanction granted by the LG’s office.
The LG’s office released a statement confirming that LG V.K. Saxena has granted approval to prosecute Arvind Kejriwal in the excise policy case.
Earlier this month, the ED sought permission from the LG to prosecute Kejriwal, claiming evidence of massive corruption in the formulation and implementation of the excise policy. The agency had referenced this in its prosecution complaint filed on May 17 at the Rouse Avenue Court. The court acknowledged the complaint on July 9.
This development adds to the challenges faced by AAP as it gears up for the upcoming Delhi Assembly elections. The approval for prosecution is likely to intensify the political battle between AAP and its rivals in the capital.
NI Bureau
