Delhi excise scandal: ED likely to file another chargesheet soon
Enforcement Directorate (ED) will file «at least one more» supplementary prosecution complaint (equivalent of a chargesheet) in the Delhi excise scandal, people aware of the matter told ET.
It will elaborate on the alleged role of hawala operators in the alleged transfer of kickbacks from a South India-based group to functionaries of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the party's Goa assembly election campaign in 2022.
The federal agency had arrested an alleged Delhi-based cash courier named Vinod Chauhan earlier this month. The agency, in one of its previous charge sheets, had alleged that Chauhan received cash bags from associates of BRS leader and co-accused in the case K Kavitha, which were then allegedly transferred through hawala to AAP leaders in Goa.
The agency has alleged that it has recorded a statement of one of the staff members of Kavita that revealed that Chauhan had collected «two heavy bags containing cash» from the co-accused's office. ED has accused Chauhan of playing a pivotal role in transferring «proceeds of crime».
The federal agency, so far, has filed eight prosecution complaints (one original and seven supplementary) in the case. This would be the ninth complaint.
This means that the trial in the scandal involving Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and others will not commence until the agency concludes its investigation and files the «final» charge sheet.
The apex court, while rejecting Sisodia's bail plea last October, had recorded the
