Aam Aadmi Party Could Soon Find Itself Accused In Delhi Excise Policy Scam

On Monday, the Enforcement Directorate apprised the Supreme Court of its deliberation to potentially implicate the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in the Delhi excise policy case.

The disclosure came during a hearing on the bail plea of former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, with Additional Solicitor-General S V Raju representing the agency.

Raju mentioned the agency's contemplation of designating the Aam Aadmi Party as an accused and applying Section 70 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act to investigate the matter in terms of vicarious liability.

The bench, presided over by Justice Sanjeev Khanna and also comprising Justice S V N Bhatti, sought clarification on whether the AAP would be implicated in the same offense or a distinct one.

Raju confirmed it would be the same offense but was instructed to provide further information on the matter by the next day.

Expressing concern about the announcement to potentially make the AAP an accused, senior advocate A M Singhvi highlighted the potential impact this could have in media coverage.

During a previous hearing on 4 October, Justice Khanna had raised a legal question about the proceeds of crime going to a political party rather than Sisodia.

Singhvi reiterated this concern on 5 October, clarifying that the court's intention was not to implicate anyone but to seek legal clarity.

Justice Khanna emphasised that their questions were meant for legal discourse and were not influenced by media reports, underscoring their commitment to impartiality.