SC clarifies remarks over making AAP an accused in Delhi liquor policy case

New Delhi: Supreme Court on Thursday clarified over its question posed to the Enforcement Directorate why the political party (Aam Aadmi Party) led by Arvind Kejriwal, which was allegedly the beneficiary of the Delhi Excise Policy 'scam', has not been made an accused in the money laundering case.

Hearing two separate bail pleas of former deputy chief minister and AAP leader Manish Sisodia in the corruption case being probed by the CBI and the related money laundering case under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate, the bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti posed the question on Wednesday.

The ED has claimed the AAP used Rs 100 crore received as kickback from various stakeholders for its campaign in the 2022 Goa assembly elections.

"As far as the PMLA case is concerned, your whole case is that it (kickback) went to the political party. It is the beneficiary and not him (Sisodia), but then you have to explain as to why the political party is still not an accused in the case. How do you explain this?" the bench told Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, who appeared for the ED.

Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing Sisodia, objected to the media reports indicating AAP would be made a party.

To this, Justice Khanna said, "We want to clarify that our question yesterday was not to implicate anyone. Suppose if as per the prosecution if A is not being prosecuted can B or C be prosecuted? In that context the question was posed as a legal question.”