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Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Goa unit president, Amit Palekar, alongside three others, faced interrogation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday regarding their alleged involvement in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy scam. The individuals summoned for questioning include Palekar, AAP leader Ramrao Wagh, and two others, Dattaprasad Naik and Ashok Naik.
Palekar and the others appeared before the central probe agency in response to summons regarding their purported connection to the Delhi excise policy scam, which led to the arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and several other AAP leaders. Notably, Dattaprasad and Ashok Naik are prominent figures within the Bhandari community in Goa.
Palekar arrived at the ED office around noon, while the remaining three individuals arrived earlier in the morning. Palekar briefly stated that he had been summoned and would provide further comments upon conclusion of the interrogation. Others declined to comment. Palekar, who served as the AAP’s chief ministerial candidate in the February 2022 Goa Assembly elections, reiterated his stance on the matter, asserting that he and his party colleagues were prepared to cooperate with any inquiry.
The ED has alleged that the AAP benefitted significantly from funds obtained through the Delhi liquor policy scam. The agency claimed that proceeds from the scam were utilized in the AAP’s campaign during the Goa polls, amounting to approximately Rs 45 crore. The ED’s chargesheet also implicated other political figures, including Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha.
Earlier, AAP criticized the Enforcement Directorate for allegedly failing to respond to questions posed by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s legal team regarding his arrest. This came after the Delhi High Court declined to intervene in Kejriwal’s arrest in connection with the money laundering case related to the excise policy scam. Conversely, the BJP maintained that the ED’s actions were warranted, citing purported evidence against Kejriwal.
Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21, following the Delhi High Court’s refusal to grant him protection from coercive action. The case revolves around alleged corruption and money laundering in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which was subsequently annulled.
