Delhi Liquor case: Probe agency seeks legal advice on including AAP as accused in liquor policy case
New Delhi, October 05: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is currently seeking legal counsel on the potential inclusion of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) as an accused in a money laundering case related to the now-defunct Delhi liquor policy. During a recent hearing concerning bail requests by senior AAP leader and former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, the Supreme Court inquired why the ED had not named AAP as an accused party, given the ED's contention that the party had benefited from the liquor policy.
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The bench, consisting of Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice SV Bhatti, questioned the ED's approach, stating, "As far as PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) is concerned, your whole case is that the benefits went to a political party. That political party is still not made an accused or impleaded. How do you answer that? The political party is the beneficiary according to you."
Additionally, the court raised the question of whether a cabinet note could be subjected to examination by a court of law. Justice Khanna referenced specific Constitution bench judgments that generally prohibit the examination of cabinet notes. However, he also noted uncertainty regarding the applicability of these judgments to Delhi, as it is a Union Territory, and whether the issue had been raised in this context.
The Additional Solicitor General, SV Raju, representing the ED, is expected to provide responses to both queries during the ongoing legal proceedings.
- With inputs from agencies
