Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest linked to pharma firm.
Aurobindo Pharma’s director, co-accused of K Kavitha, donated Electoral Bonds.
On March 21, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal faced arrest in connection to the Delhi excise policy case. This development occurred after he failed to appear for nine consecutive summons issued by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED).
The case revolves around alleged irregularities in the implementation of the excise policy during Kejriwal’s tenure. The Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) repeated summons were reportedly ignored by Kejriwal, leading to his eventual arrest.
The case has drawn significant attention, with various political figures and parties reacting to the news. Kejriwal’s arrest has sparked debates regarding political accountability and the handling of legal matters by public officials. The developments have also brought focus to the complexities of governance and legal obligations in the political landscape of Delhi.
On March 15, K Kavitha, a prominent leader of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) and the daughter of former Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
This arrest was made in connection to her alleged involvement in money laundering related to the same case that led to the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Kavitha’s arrest came after the ED’s investigation into suspected irregularities surrounding the implementation of the Delhi excise policy during Kejriwal’s tenure. The ED has been actively pursuing leads in the case, leading to arrests of several individuals connected to the alleged money laundering scheme.
Kavitha’s arrest added another layer of complexity to the ongoing investigation, drawing attention from various political quarters and sparking discussions about transparency and accountability in governance.
On March 21, the same day Arvind Kejriwal was arrested, the Election Commission of India released details of political funding through now-scrapped Electoral bonds. This data, as reported by Scroll.in, has intriguing links to the Delhi Liquor Policy case. The report, a part of ‘Project Electoral Bond’ conducted in collaboration with Newslaundry and the NewsMinute, sheds light on connections between the Electoral Bonds Data and the ongoing investigations into the Delhi Liquor Policy, adding a new dimension to the unfolding developments.
Hyderabad-based Aurobindo Pharma Limited, led by director P Sarath Chandra Reddy, found itself embroiled in controversy as it was revealed that the company donated ₹5 crore worth of Electoral Bonds to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). This donation occurred just five days after Reddy’s arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection to the liquor scam case on November 10, 2022.
Sarath Chandra Reddy, a non-executive director of the firm, took a significant turn in the case by becoming an approver in June 2023, seven months after his initial arrest. Subsequently, in November 2023, Aurobindo Pharma made another hefty contribution of ₹25 crore to the BJP, as reported by Scroll.in. The total sum of electoral bonds purchased by the firm amounted to ₹52 crore, with distributions of ₹34.5 crore to the BJP, ₹15 crore to the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), and ₹2.5 crore to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).
The ED has charged Sarath Chandra Reddy with a pivotal role in the alleged movement of kickbacks during the liquor licensing process in Delhi, particularly during the tenure of the Arvind Kejriwal-led government in 2021-22. Sarath, along with K Kavitha, was among the individuals from southern states referred to as the “South Group” by the investigating agency. This group stands accused of channeling kickbacks amounting to ₹100 crore to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) through Vijay Nair, the party’s communications head. The alleged funds were purportedly used by AAP during the 2022 Goa Assembly polls.
On June 1, 2023, a Delhi court granted Sarath Chandra Reddy the status of an approver in the case. Other members of this “South Group,” including YSR Congress Party’s MP M Sreenivasulu Reddy, his son Raghav, and Delhi-based businessman Dinesh Arora, have also chosen to become approvers, shedding light on the intricate web of alleged financial irregularities and political funding.