AAP demands apology from BJP for defaming Kejriwal over Delhi excise policy case

The Aam Aadmi Party on Monday demanded an apology from the BJP for defaming Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and levelling false allegations against his party in connection with the formulation and implementation of the now-scrapped excise policy.

The party's remarks came after a Delhi court on Saturday granted bail to two accused in a money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to alleged irregularities in Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

The court said the evidence against the accused, Rajesh Joshi and Gautam Malhotra, was not sufficient for the case against them to be considered prima facie "genuine".

Addressing a press conference, senior leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, "a huge conspiracy has been hatched to defame CM Arvind Kejriwal at the behest of PM Modi".

He highlighted how ED could not present a single evidence against Malhotra and Joshi in the court.

"The recent court order in the fake excise policy case undeniably reveals that there was no such thing as a liquor scam, to begin with. It has laid bare the deep-rooted malicious conspiracy hatched by the BJP, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), solely to tarnish the image of our esteemed leader, Arvind Kejriwal, and the Aam Aadmi Party," he said.

"However, the truth has prevailed that there is no evidence to support their claims, and it is time for the BJP and PM Modi to be held accountable for their actions," he added.

Singh accused the BJP of making baseless allegations and asserted that the "so-called liquor scam case lacks any factual or evidentiary basis".

He asserted that in light of these revelations, the BJP should offer an "unconditional" apology to the entire nation, Kejriwal, and the Aam Aadmi Party.

"If they possess even an ounce of shame, they must acknowledge their wrongdoing and take strict action against those responsible for fabricating this false and baseless scam," he added.

Sharing details, he said when the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) initiated their investigation, the agencies had initially claimed that an amount of Rs 100 crore was involved.

However, later it was revealed that they had no evidence or information regarding 70 crore, he said.

The agencies included false information in their charge sheet, stating that a vendor named Rajesh Joshi received Rs 30 crore from a liquor business in southern India and that this amount was spent during the Goa elections through Rajesh Joshi as a medium, he claimed.

"The court even questioned the basis for the allegation of 30 crore, to which the agencies had no answer. The recent court order shows that no embezzlement of funds has taken place in the alleged excise case," he said.

The MP said that the investigation by the agencies confirmed that the Aam Aadmi Party spent a mere 19 lakh in cash during an assembly election.

"This information is stated by the central investigative agencies themselves. The ED-CBI's investigation has proven that AAP is India's most honest party. We remain committed to our party's core principles of transparency, accountability, and the welfare of the common people," he said.