ED Gets Home Ministry's Approval To Prosecute Arvind Kejriwal In Liquor Policy Case

In another major setback to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal right ahead of the Delhi Assembly Elections 2025, the Union Home Ministry approved the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to prosecute him in a money laundering case connected to the Delhi liquor policy scam.

The union ministry's decision came after Delhi Lt. Governor VK Saxena also agreed to prosecute the former Delhi Chief Minister in the case. On November 6, the Supreme Court directed that under the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), prior approval from the government would be required for the prosecution of public servants in money laundering cases.

Following the apex court's order, the central agency sought sanction for Kejriwal's prosecution under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, on December 5 citing a "huge level of corruption in framing and implementation" of the excise policy. The central probe agency wrote to VK Saxena, saying that granting of a sanction should be given since Kejriwal was the "kingpin and key conspirator" of the scam.

AAP chief Kejriwal earlier approached the Delhi High Court, saying the probe agency's chargesheet against him and others in the case was illegal because no prior sanction of authorities was taken before filing the prosecution complaint.

What is the case against Kejriwal?

The case against Kejriwal is based on accusations of irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2021-22.

The probe agency alleged that the former Delhi chief minister along with other AAP leaders, deliberately created loopholes in the policy to receive kickbacks from liquor lobbyists.

Kejriwal was first arrested by the ED on March 21, 2024, in connection to the money laundering case. Later, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested Kejriwal on June 26, 2024 in a corruption case.

In September 2024, the Supreme Court granted bail to the AAP chief.