The Reason Behind Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's arrest by ED? What is the Liquor Scandal?

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) team arrived at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's residence on Thursday evening, related to the 2021 Delhi excise case. After conducting a search at his official residence and interrogating the AAP leader for approximately two hours, the ED detained Kejriwal. This action was taken in relation to the money laundering investigation associated with the excise policy case. The detention occurred shortly after the Delhi High Court declined to provide him temporary protection from any coercive action in the money laundering investigation.

Rapid Action Force (RAF) personnel formed the first layer of security outside Kejriwal's house, with multiple iron barricades creating a second layer. Prominent AAP leaders, including Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, arrived at Kejriwal's residence as party workers voiced their support for the Chief Minister.

Following Kejriwal's detention, Atishi stated, "This appears to be a political conspiracy unrelated to any case or investigation. If an investigation was necessary, the ED could have awaited the court's decision. We have submitted an application and are requesting the Supreme Court to grant us an urgent hearing tonight. Arvind Kejriwal will not step down. He is, and will continue to be, the Chief Minister of Delhi."

The case in question involves alleged corruption and money laundering in the creation and implementation of the Delhi government's 2021-22 excise policy, which was later rescinded. The ED alleges that AAP leaders received kickbacks amounting to ₹100 crore in the excise policy. Kejriwal's name has been mentioned multiple times in the charge sheets filed by the ED, which alleges that the accused were in contact with Kejriwal regarding the formulation of the excise policy.

AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh are already in judicial custody in relation to this case. Kejriwal has avoided eight summons issued by the federal agency since November 2 of the previous year, labeling them as "illegal and politically motivated."

The ED alleges that a conspiracy involving political leaders, including Arvind Kejriwal, Manish Sisodia, and K Kavitha (who was detained last week), among others, was hatched in the Delhi excise policy. A South Group, consisting of businessman Sarath Reddy, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy, and K Kavitha, secured nine zones out of 32 in Delhi under the new 2021-22 excise policy. The policy was introduced with an extraordinarily high 12% profit margin for wholesalers and almost 185% profit margin for retailers. According to the conspiracy, 6% of the 12% margin was to be collected back from the wholesalers as a kickback to the AAP leaders, as alleged by the ED.