Delhi Minister Grilled By ED For 5 Hours Post Kejriwal's Arrest: Denies Links To Goa Campaign Funds

Delhi Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Kailash Gahlot was questioned today by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with an alleged money laundering case related to the Delhi liquor policy. Gahlot currently holds the portfolios of home, transport, and law in the Delhi government.

During the interrogation, which lasted over five hours, reports stated that the ED inquired about the procedures followed while drafting the policy.

"After nearly 5.5 hours of questioning, I will be available for further interrogation if summoned by the ED," said the AAP leader upon leaving the ED's office. The summons to Gahlot came shortly after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's arrest in the same case.

The case revolves around purported corruption and money laundering in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which was later annulled.

According to the ED, the policy allegedly offered unfeasibly high profit margins of nearly 185 per cent for retailers and 12 per cent for wholesalers. The agency claims that out of the latter, six per cent - amounting to over ₹600 crore - was recovered as bribes, which were purportedly used to finance election campaigns in Goa and Punjab. The ED further alleges that this group provided ₹100 crore in kickbacks to the AAP and its leaders.

In its chargesheet, the ED has also claimed that Gahlot used a single SIM number but changed his IMEI (international mobile equipment identity) thrice.

Three prominent AAP leaders, including Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, have been arrested in connection with the Delhi liquor policy case. The other two are AAP MP Sanjay Singh and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia.

Additionally, K Kavitha, a leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, is also currently incarcerated.