ED Raids Delhi Minister’s Residence in Money Laundering Case, Searches 9 Locations

On Thursday morning, Delhi’s Minister of Social Welfare, Rajkumar Anand, had a raid conducted at his house in Delhi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). The investigation agency has conducted searches at 9 locations, including Anand’s residence. It is reported that these actions are related to a money laundering case.

Investigation Agency ED to Question Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the Liquor Policy Case

The ED is also set to question Delhi’s Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case. Kejriwal was interrogated for nearly 9.5 hours by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in April. Delhi’s former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and AAP MP Sanjay Singh are already in jail in the liquor policy case.

Who is Rajkumar Anand? 

Rajkumar Anand became an MLA for the first time in 2020 from the Patel Nagar constituency. His wife Veena Anand has also been an MLA from the same assembly constituency before. Rajkumar Anand held the position in the Cabinet of former Delhi Chief Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam. Anand is currently being investigated in money laundering cases related to shell companies. However, many leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party have already been involved in multiple such cases.

Three Prominent AAP Leaders in the Liquor Policy Case 

Currently, three prominent leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party are facing various charges in the liquor policy case, which includes cases in different jurisdictions and being lodged in different jails. These leaders are Satyendra Jain, who is detained in the Delhi Daru Koubhanda case, Manish Sisodia, who is facing charges in the CBI’s custody in the liquor policy case, and Sanjay Singh, who is lodged in ED’s custody.

Satyendra Jain’s Arrest on May 31, 2022 

On May 31, 2022, former Health Minister of Delhi, Satyendra Jain, was arrested by the ED. This arrest was made based on an FIR registered on August 24, 2017. He was alleged to have established or bought several shell companies in Delhi. These companies allegedly transferred black money worth ₹16.39 crores to three hawala operators in Kolkata. He was later released from Tihar Jail after staying there. On October 18, the Supreme Court extended his bail because of health-related issues.

Manish Sisodia’s Arrest on February 26, 2023

On March 10, 2023, former Deputy CM of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, was arrested by the ED. This was preceded by his arrest by the CBI on February 26. Both agencies have accused Sisodia in the Delhi Daru Koubhanda case. The CBI accused Sisodia of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act, while the ED accused him of money laundering under the Money Laundering Act.

Sanjay Singh’s Arrest on October 4, 2023

Sanjay Singh’s name also appears in the charge sheet of the Excise Policy case. Additionally, on October 4, 2023, he was arrested in connection with the liquor policy case. Earlier this year, in January, his name was added to the charge sheet by ED. In reality, the accused-turned-government witness in the Delhi Daru Koubhanda case, Dinesh Arora, has stated that Sanjay Singh and the owners of a Delhi bar-restaurant had a meeting in Singh’s restaurant.

On October 10, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator Amanatullah Khan and his associates were subjected to searches at 13 locations in Delhi. During his tenure as the Chairman of the Delhi Waqf Board between 2018 and 2022, Amanatullah Khan allegedly misappropriated the board’s assets and was being investigated for personal gains in an illegal manner. After the revelations about the roles played by Amanatullah Khan and his associates, Delhi Police registered three additional FIRs, which are currently under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED). It has been revealed that Amanatullah Khan accrued significant amounts of money from corrupt practices, and these funds were used to purchase various properties in Delhi. Many incriminating records and evidence have been made public regarding his involvement in money laundering activities.

Now, let’s dive into the key events related to the alcohol policy:

The New Alcohol Policy Implemented Since November 2021: 

On March 22, 2021, Delhi’s Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia announced the new alcohol policy, stating that with this policy, liquor shops would go into private hands. When questioned about the reason for introducing this policy, he mentioned two key factors: first, the end of alcohol mafia rule, and second, increased revenues for the government.

The new alcohol policy for 2021-22 was implemented on November 17, 2021. As a result, alcohol trade moved out of government-owned stores, and this policy significantly boosted the state’s revenue. However, it faced opposition as well.

Allegations Against the Alcohol Policy in July 2022: 

On July 8, 2022, Delhi’s Chief Secretary, Naresh Kumar, made allegations that the new alcohol policy had irregularities. He handed over a related report to Lieutenant Governor Vikram Saxena, suggesting that Manish Sisodia had provided undue benefits to private alcohol traders. Additionally, he pointed out that the policy was implemented without the approval of the Cabinet.

CBI and ED Registered the Case in August 2022: 

Following the report submitted by Manish Sisodia, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) was requested to conduct an investigation. The agency registered the case on August 17, 2022. The case included allegations against Manish Sisodia, three retired government officials, nine industrialists, and two companies, all accused of corruption-related offenses. Various instances of corruption have been registered in the case, and evidence has been gathered.

On August 19, searches were conducted at 31 locations across seven states, including Manish Sisodia’s home and office. Sisodia claimed that nothing significant was found. On August 22, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registered the money laundering case based on the CBI’s findings.

Reversal of the New Alcohol Policy in July 2022: 

In light of the growing controversy, on July 28, 2022, the Delhi government revoked the new alcohol policy, opting to revert to the previous policy. The decision to implement the old policy was made after it was revealed that the government’s revenue had decreased due to the loss of excise and license fees from alcohol traders who had transitioned away from government-owned stores.

Sisodia’s Arrest by the CBI in February 2023: 

Manish Sisodia held a position in the Excise Department, which allegedly played a significant role in manipulating the controversial policy. After several inquiries, the investigating agency arrested him on February 26, 2023. He is currently in custody. The CBI accused Sisodia of making unilateral decisions due to his ambitions and causing significant financial losses to the government and undue benefits to alcohol traders. The CBI alleged that due to his desire to become the Finance Minister, he took one-sided decisions, which resulted in substantial losses to the government’s treasury and benefits to alcohol traders.