Despite the public display of solidarity among I.N.D.I.A bloc partners after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest by ED in Delhi excise policy case, the AAP only has its alliance partner Congress to blame for the trouble that its convenor has landed in. The coercive action against him has been taken on the basis of a complaint filed by the grand old party a few years ago.
The fall of Kejriwal from an anti-corruption crusader to a CM with a tarnished image has a Congress imprint. In an application to the then Delhi Police commissioner Rakesh Asthana on 3 June 2022, the Delhi Congress said, “Delhi Pradesh Congress committee with… clinching evidence sourced from the ministry of corporate affairs and other prominent websites wants thorough investigation in the multi-crore scam.”
The complaint was filed by then Delhi Congress chief Anil Chaudhary with a subject line: “Regarding investigation of multi-crore scam in illegal distribution of liquor licences to shell companies of oasis group violating terms and condition of the new Excise policy 2021-22 by Aam Aadmi Party-led government.”
In March 2023, former Union minister and ex-DPCC chief Ajay Maken had also addressed journalists levelling charges of bribe in the excise policy scam. The video of the media briefing is currently circulating on social media.
In the video, Maken is seen saying that it has been established that a Rs 100 crore bribe was taken. He said the commission of liquor wholesellers as raised from 5% to 12% by the AAP government and out of this 6% was pocketed by Kejriwal as kickbacks.
Demanding the resignation of Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, Maken goes on to say in the video that the money trail in the scam has been established and the kickbacks taken by the CM were used for party’s campaign in Goa which amounted to anti-Congress activities.
“It has been established that AAP advertisements in Goa were paid from the bribe money received. About Rs 70 lakh paid to AAP volunteers in Goa also came from the kickbacks,” Maken said.
The personal differences between Maken and Kejriwal also appear to explain the absence of the Congress leader from the team of Congress leaders which reached the CM‘s residence soon after the news of his arrest on Thursday spread.
Apart from old videos of Maken, social media is flooded with media briefings of other Congress leaders like Supriya Shrinate, Alka Lamba and Ragini Nayak in which they can be seen criticizing the excise policy of the Kejriwal government.
Delhi BJP president Viren Sachdeva slammed the growing proximity between the AAP and the Congress after Kejriwal’s arrest and in the run-up to the elections.
“Two parties, which looted Delhi and used to be occupied in trying to prove which of them was the bigger thief, have formed an alliance today. Birds of a feather flock together,” he said. One of the parties in this unholy alliance is the culprit and the other corrupt party has become its advocate, he said, adding that the BJP has been opposing the new excise policy ever since the Kejriwal government unveiled it.
Calling AAP the “B team” of Congress, Sachdeva said Delhi ministers Atishi Marlena, Saurabh Bhardwaj and Gopal Rai are indulging in political drama by blaming the BJP for Kejriwal’s arrest, whereas he has been arrested by an independent probe agency like the ED.
BJP leader Bansuri Swaraj said Kejriwal’s arrest by ED confirms Maken’s allegation that the Chief Minister had taken bribe to create a corruption-ridden excise policy.
Amid the political slugfest over Kejriwal’s arrest, Delhi Congress chief Arvinder Singh Lovely reiterated his party’s support to the AAP and questioned the timing of the arrest—just ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
Refusing to comment on the case, he said the Congress has always maintained that law should take its course. An elected chief minister should not be treated like this. He could have been arrested two months after the elections. The agenda is not the excise policy case but Lok Sabha elections, he said.