New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday claimed that the Lieutenant Governor, the Central Bureau of Investigation, and the BJP have quoted varying amounts of money involved in the alleged liquor scam as he also alleged that the central agencies are "unnecessarily troubling everyone" in regard to the case.
Addressing a press conference, the Delhi Chief Minister said that he doesn't understand what the scam case is really about. His remarks came after the ED launched fresh raids at about 40 locations across the country as part of a money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in the now-withdrawn Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
"One of their (BJP) leaders says that it is a scam of Rs 8,000 crore, the LG says it is a scam of Rs 144 crore and the CBI FIR says there is a scam of Rs 1 crore. I don't understand what the liquor scam is," CM Arvind Kejriwal said, as quoted by news agency PTI.
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"The country cannot progress like this. They are unnecessarily troubling everyone," he added.
The ED started probing the money angle in the case after a CBI FIR in which Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and some bureaucrats have been named as accused.
The ED investigation is pertaining to whether there were irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi excise policy and if any "proceeds of crime" in terms of tainted money were generated by the accused.
ED & CBI Raids
The ED on Friday launched fresh raids at about 40 locations in India as part of a money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
The raids are being conducted at premises linked to liquor businessmen, distributors and supply chain networks in Nellore and some other cities in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Delhi-NCR, PTI reported citing official sources.
On August 19, the CBI had conducted raids at various places, including Sisodia's residence here, in connection with the excise policy case.
CM Arvind Kejriwal's Allegation Against MCD
CM Arvind Kejriwal accused the BJP-ruled MCD of planning to create 16 new landfill sites in Delhi, turning it into a city of garbage hills.
At present, there are three landfill sites -- Ghazipur, Okhla, and Bhalswa -- located at the Delhi borders.
"People living in the vicinity of these landfill sites are affected by the foul smell emanating from these garbage mounds and a host of other issues. We have heard that there are plans to make 16 new garbage hills in the national capital," the Delhi Chief Minister said.
He emphasised that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government is developing Delhi into a city of parks and lakes. "If given a chance, we will beautify the national capital in a time-bound manner," he added.
The AAP has launched a month-long campaign to highlight the BJP-ruled civic body's "failures". As a part of this campaign, groups led by AAP MLAs tried to reach Ghazipur and Okhla landfill sites on Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, but were stopped by police.
The BJP ruled the three erstwhile municipal corporations in Delhi and the AAP was the main opposition party till the terms of the civic bodies expired in May.
Elections to constitute a new civic body are yet to be held as an exercise for delimitation of municipal wards is underway.
(With Agency Inputs)