Liquor Policy – Artifex.News

Amit Shah’s “Big Bottles” Swipe At Arvind Kejriwal Campaign

admin — Fri, 17 May 2024 04:36:21 +0000

New Delhi:

Home Minister Amit Shah today took a swipe at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal suggesting that people will only be reminded of the ‘liquor scam’ when they see him campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections.

“As a voter, I believe wherever he will go for the poll campaign, the people will remember the liquor scam, even in Punjab. People will also see big bottles in front of them when they see Kejriwal,” Mr Shah said during an interview with ANI. He said that he does not feel the opposition INDIA bloc will benefit from Mr Kejriwal being granted interim bail to campaign.

#WATCH | On out-on-interim bail Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal campaigning for elections, Union Home Minister Amit Shah says, “As a voter, I believe that wherever he will go people will remember liquor scam…Kayi logon ko toh badi bottle dikhai padegi.” pic.twitter.com/JIsMNFvFQC

— ANI (@ANI) May 17, 2024

The Supreme Court granted interim bail to Mr Kejriwal earlier this month in a case related to the Delhi liquor policy. The court has asked the Aam Aadmi Party chief to surrender on June 2, so that the Enforcement Directorate can continue their probe in the case.

Reacting to the verdict, Mr Shah said that it should not be seen as a victory for the AAP and Arvind Kejriwal.

“What was their plea before the SC? They said that his arrest was illegal but the apex court dismissed it. Then they modified their plea and asked for bail; the court rejected that too. The Supreme Court said that as per your demand to campaign in elections, we are giving you interim bail and you have to surrender on June 1,” Mr Shah said.

The Home Minister also said that Mr Kejriwal’s remarks that a vote for AAP would ensure that he does not go back to jail sends out the wrong message.

“The Supreme Court judges have to decide this. Will the Supreme Court decide the crime based on victory or defeat? This is a wrong comment on the functioning of the Supreme Court,” Amit Shah said.

Mr Kejriwal, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate in the money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi liquor scam, was granted interim bail on May 10 for campaigning in the Lok Sabha elections.

Four phases of polling in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections have been concluded. Voting for Delhi’s seven seats is scheduled to be held on May 25. Mr Kejriwal has been asked to surrender on June 2, a day after polling ends in the last phase.

The ED’s case is that the Delhi liquor policy 2021-22 provided an exceptionally high-profit margin of 12 per cent for wholesalers and nearly 185 per cent for retailers. A key focus of the investigation into the Delhi liquor policy case was on an alleged network of middlemen, businessmen and politicians which the central agencies have called the “South Group”.

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Arvind Kejriwal’s Court Date Today As Probe Agency Custody Ends: 10 Points

admin — Mon, 01 Apr 2024 01:36:14 +0000

Arvind Kejriwal has dubbed his arrest a “political conspiracy”. (File)

New Delhi:
The Enforcement Directorate custody of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ends today and the central agency probing the alleged liquor policy scam is likely to produce him in court.

Here are the top 10 points in this big story:

Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on March 21 and has been running his government from the ED lock-up since then. After his initial custody ended on March 28, a local court extended it for four more days till April 1.
Mr Kejriwal has also moved the Delhi High Court against his arrest, arguing that his fundamental rights were violated by the probe agency. The court had issued a notice to the ED, seeking a reply by April 2. The hearing will resume on April 3.
He has dubbed his arrest a “political conspiracy” while his party has been organizing major protests. His arrest just ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls has also prompted furious protests from the opposition camp.
Top opposition leaders who attended a mega rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan last afternoon pressed for the release of Mr Kejriwal and former Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who was arrested by the ED in January in a different case.
Sunita Kejriwal, wife of the Chief Minister, is playing a crucial role in the aftermath of Mr Kejriwal’s arrest, addressing his supporters and conveying his messages from the lock-up.
Yesterday, she attacked the central government in a fiery speech at the Ramlila Maidan. She also delivered a message from Mr Kejriwal, in which the Chief Minister had made six election promises ahead of the Lok Sabha polls.
Last week, after meeting him in the ED custody, she claimed the Chief Minister was unwell, he was diabetic, and that his blood sugar had been fluctuating. Sources have said Mr Kejriwal’s blood sugar had dropped to the dangerously low level of 46.
The UN, as well as the US and Germany, have spoken on Mr Kejriwal’s arrest, with the world body hoping that everyone’s rights will be protected ahead of the elections. India had summoned US and German envoys in the past week to oppose their comments on the Chief Minister’s arrest.
Mr Kejriwal is the third AAP leader after his former deputy Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh to be arrested in the alleged liquor policy scam. He was arrested after he skipped nine summons by the central agency for questioning.
The excise policy was introduced to bring an overhaul to the liquor business in Delhi but was scrapped after Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena ordered a probe into the alleged irregularities in the policy. The ED believes the policy provided a high profit margin and bribe money was allegedly used to fund the AAP’s election campaigns.