Wanted Urgent Approval Of Liquor Policy, Met 'South Group' Liquor Baron: CBI Against Arvind Kejriwal In Remand Plea

In its remand application for Arvind Kejriwal produced before Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) made several explosive claims including the Delhi CM's desire for the urgent approval of the liquor policy and his meeting with 'South Group' liquor baron Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy amongst several others.

The central probe agency on Wedenesday took the Delhi chief minister into custody in connection with the liquor policy case. On Thursday, they also got a 3-day custody of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief for further interrogation.

Arvind Kejriwal arrest: About CBI's remand plea

In its remand plea, CBI stated that Pravesh Jha, Additional Secretary to Kejriwal confirmed that he was asked by the CM's Personal Secretary, Bibhav Kumar, that to move the liquor policy file quickly as Kejriwal "desired the draft Excise Policy to be approved by Council of Ministers through circulation urgently".

"Further corroboration of Kejriwal’s complicity is evident from the fact that co-accused Butchibabu, Abhishek Boinpally and Arun R Pillai had come to Delhi on 20.05.2021 in a Chartered Flight and had a meeting with the accused Vijay Nair, approver Dinesh Arora and some liquor businessman of Delhi at the guest house of Uttam Galva Company situated at Gauri Apartments, near Claridges hotel, New Delhi on 21.05.2021," the remand application read.

Furthermore, CBI also highlighted that the guest house was booked by none other than Bibhav Kumar.

The central pobe agency also mentioned that Rs 44.54 crores were sent through hawala channels from Delhi to Goa in 2021. The money reportedly was used for various election-related expenses of the Aam Aadmi Party during the Goa Assembly Election 2021-22.

In another explosive claim, CBI said that the 'South Group' key member and liquor baron Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy also held a meeting with Arvind Kejriwal on March 16, 2021, in his office at the Delhi Secretariat requesting support in the liquor business in Delhi for the upcoming Excise Policy for the year 2021-22. In return, according to the CBI, Kejriwal sought monetary funding from Reddy for his Aam Aadmi Party.

Arvind Kejriwal will be produced before the Rouse Avenue Court at 7 pm on June 29 for further hearing.