New Delhi, Feb 27 The Rouse Avenue Court in the national capital on Friday acquitted Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener Arvind Kejriwal and his close aide Manish Sisodia, along with 23 others, in the excise policy case, also known as the liquor policy scam.
Despite months in jail, Kejriwal and Sisodia have been acquitted in this case. Following their acquittal, the Aam Aadmi Party and the India Alliance accused the BJP of using central agencies for political gain. Arvind Kejriwal alleged that the BJP conspired against him to form the government in Delhi.
Now let’s learn how it all began. In November 2021, the Aam Aadmi Party government formulated the Delhi Excise Policy to reform and bring about structural changes in the liquor trade and its regulation in the national capital. Within months of its implementation, the policy became embroiled in controversy when the BJP accused the Aam Aadmi Party government of colluding with the liquor mafia to fill its coffers. Amid the ongoing blame game, the Delhi government repealed the policy in 2022.
The case was filed after then-Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar submitted a report to Lieutenant Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena in July 2022. The case pointed to several “procedural lapses and deficiencies” in the policy’s formulation.
The report submitted to the Lieutenant Governor cited several arbitrary and unilateral decisions taken by then-Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and claimed that this resulted in a financial loss of over ₹500 crore to the government treasury.
The controversial Kejriwal government dismissed allegations of irregularities and collusion, claiming that the move was aimed at improving customer experience and curbing the liquor black market. However, a report submitted to the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi detailed bribes and illegal kickbacks received by the Aam Aadmi Party government and leaders from liquor traders. It alleged that license fee waivers and waivers worth hundreds of crores of rupees were granted.
Based on reports of “serious violations,” the Lieutenant Governor recommended a CBI investigation. The CBI investigation accused Manish Sisodia and other Aam Aadmi Party leaders of several serious violations, including manipulating the liquor policy to benefit wholesalers, and subsequently arrested them. The CBI claimed that several liquor companies, including those from southern states, paid bribes totaling ₹100 crore to Aam Aadmi Party leaders.
The CBI claimed that this money was used to fund the party’s election campaign in Goa and Punjab ahead of the 2022 assembly elections. The issue subsequently escalated into a major controversy, with the BJP accusing the Kejriwal government of looting public funds to further the party’s political ambitions. Kejriwal vehemently denied these allegations and accused the central government of acting out of vengeance against the Aam Aadmi Party.
When charges were framed, Arvind Kejriwal was named in the CBI chargesheet as the main conspirator. Kejriwal was directly accused of formulating controversial policies and laundering proceeds of crime. The then Deputy Chief Minister, Manish Sisodia, who also held the portfolio of Excise Minister, was accused of making arbitrary and unilateral decisions to benefit private liquor traders.
The Enforcement Directorate arrested Kejriwal on March 21, 2024. Subsequently, the CBI arrested him in the same case on June 26, 2024.
