What Is the Delhi Liquor Policy Case? Why Is the ED Tightening Its Grip on AAP Leaders One After the Other? Read the Full Timeline

Delhi Liquor Policy Case: In the Delhi liquor policy case, CM Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested by the ED. After Kejriwal did not get relief from arrest in the Delhi High Court in this case, the ED team reached the CM House at 7 pm on Thursday. Kejriwal was arrested after about 2 hours of interrogation. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will hear Kejriwal’s petition on Friday morning. Earlier in this case, former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh have been arrested.

Let us know what is the Delhi liquor policy case, in which the ED and CBI are tightening their grip on AAP leaders one after the other –

What is Delhi’s liquor policy? 

On November 17, 2021, the Delhi government implemented a new liquor policy in the state. Under this, 32 zones were created in the capital. A maximum of 27 shops were to be opened in each zone. In this way, a total of 849 shops were to be opened. In the new liquor policy, all the liquor shops in Delhi were privatized. Earlier, 60 percent of the liquor shops in Delhi were government and 40 percent were private. After the implementation of the new policy, 100 percent became private. The government had argued that this would benefit by Rs 3,500 crore. But this policy has now become a bone in the throat of the government itself. 

The government also increased the license fees several times. For the L-1 license, which earlier contractors had to pay Rs 25 lakh, after the implementation of the new liquor policy, the contractors had to pay Rs 5 crore. Similarly, the license fees in other categories also increased significantly. The new policy stated that the total number of liquor shops in Delhi will remain 850 as before. Under Delhi’s new liquor sales policy, permission has been given for home delivery of liquor and shops to remain open till 3 am. License holders can also give unlimited discounts on liquor.

Who all have been arrested in the liquor policy case so far?

So far, former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia, businessman Vijay Nair, Abhishek Boinpalli and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh have been arrested in the Delhi liquor policy case. In this case, Manish Sisodia was arrested on 26 February 2023 after a long interrogation. Since then he is in Tihar Jail. Sanjay Singh’s name first came up in the liquor policy scam in December 2022. Then the ED mentioned the name of the AAP leader as part of the statement of businessman Dinesh Arora in the charge sheet. In the Delhi liquor policy scam case, the Enforcement Directorate team has detained BRS leader and KCR’s daughter K. Kavitha.

Full timeline of Delhi liquor policy case –

22 March 2021-  Delhi’s then Deputy CM Manish Sisodia announced the new liquor policy. He said that this would end the mafia rule and increase the government treasury. Till then, 60 percent of the liquor shops in Delhi were government and 40 percent were private.

17 November 2021- Delhi government implemented the new liquor policy 2021-22. With this, the government got out of the liquor business and all the liquor shops became 100 percent private. Delhi was divided into 32 zones. There were 27 liquor shops in each zone.

8 July 2022- Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar expressed apprehension of irregularities in the new liquor policy. He sent a report related to this to LG VK Saxena. In this, Deputy CM Manish Sisodia was accused of giving undue benefits to liquor businessmen. On the basis of the Chief Secretary’s report, the LG demanded a CBI inquiry into the matter.

28 July 2022-   Seeing the controversy increasing, the Delhi government canceled the new liquor policy and re-implemented the old policy.

17 August 2022- CBI registered a case and started investigation. Manish Sisodia, three retired government officials, 9 businessmen and 2 companies were made accused in this. Cases were registered against all of them under sections related to corruption.

22 August 2022- In this case, the Enforcement Directorate also registered a case under the Money Laundering Act after taking information about the case from the CBI.

September 12, 2022: Aam Aadmi Party communications head Vijay Nair was arrested by the CBI.

26 February 2023- The first big arrest in this case was made in the form of Manish Sisodia. Manish Sisodia was arrested by the CBI after a long interrogation. Later, the ED also arrested Sisodia.

4 October 2023: AAP leader Sanjay Singh was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate.

2 November 2023- ED issued the first summons to Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case.

21 December 2023- Second summons was issued to Kejriwal. Kejriwal did not appear. 

3 January 2024- ED issued the third summons to Arvind Kejriwal. 

17 January 2024- ED issued the fourth summons to Arvind Kejriwal in the liquor policy case.

2 February 2024- ED sent summons to Delhi CM for the fifth time.

22 February 2024- ED sent sixth summons to Kejriwal.

26 February 2024- Arvind Kejriwal received the seventh summons.

27 February 2024- Kejriwal was summoned for the eighth time.

16 March 2024- Bharat Rashtra Samiti leader Kavita was detained by the Enforcement Directorate.

March 17, 2024- The ninth summons was sent to Arvind Kejriwal. 

21 March 2024- After a long interrogation, the ED arrested Kejriwal.