Goa AAP leaders, MLA candidates to be grilled by ED regarding cash payments

NEW DELHI: The Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) Delhi office was completely sealed off by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), after the Federal Agency arrested its convener and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. While the agency confiscated some papers, laptop and other digital devices from Kejriwal’s residence, the party office was sealed the next day after Kejriwal was arrested.

The ED said its officers will question several present and past AAP leaders from Goa as it has alleged that Rs 45 crore from the proceeds of crime in the Delhi excise case were used by the AAP in the 2022 Goa State Assembly polls.

Statements of some Goa AAP MLA candidates (for the 2022 Assembly polls) and party workers were recorded in the weeks preceding Kejriwal’s arrest and according to media reports, one MLA candidate gave a written statement to the ED that all payments and polls expenses were made in cash. According to sources, one ex-AAP leader from Goa who was questioned earlier, has told the ED that huge amounts in cash were distributed to voters to “buy” votes during the 2022 polls.

The present AAP MLAs in Goa – Venzy Viegas of Benaulim constituency and Cruz Silva of Velim will be questioned by the ED and their statements recorded, as will all the other MLA candidates who has contested the 2022 polls on an AAP ticket, ED sources in Delhi said.

Meanwhile senior AAP leader Atishi came down heavily on the ED for sealing the AAP Delhi office. Expressing her dismay, Atishi took to social media to question the sealing of the party’s office, arguing that such actions contradict the fundamental principles of fairness enshrined in the Indian Constitution. “How can access to a national party office be restricted during the Lok Sabha elections? This goes against the ‘equal playing field’ promised by the Indian Constitution. We are requesting time with the Election Commission (EC) to file a complaint on this,” the Delhi minister asserted.

Backing Atishi’s concerns, Saurabh Bharadwaj, another Delhi minister and prominent AAP leader, accused the central government of orchestrating the restriction of access to the party’s office, further intensifying the political turmoil surrounding the upcoming elections.

Kejriwal was remanded to ED custody for six days, until March 28, in connection with the Delhi liquor policy excise scam. The ED alleged that Kejriwal was the mastermind behind the scam, diverting funds to the Goa election campaign in 2022. According to the ED, Kejriwal solicited substantial bribes from stakeholders in the liquor policy, promising them undue benefits during the Punjab and Goa elections.