Arvind Kejriwal slams raids in Delhi

New Delhi: Amidst the ongoing tussle between the Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi and Lt Governor Vinay Kumar Saxena, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday carried out raids at 35 locations across Delhi, Chandigarh and Hyderabad in connection with its money laundering probe into the alleged scam in the Delhi liquor policy.

The raids, sources said, are being conducted on premises associated with vendors, distributors and alleged middlemen involved in the liquor business in the national capital under the now-scrapped liquor policy.

On the other hand, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has slammed the Centre for misusing probe agencies for harassing Opposition leaders. "How will the country progress if things are going like this," Kejriwal wrote on his Twitter handle after the ED carried out multiple searches at various locations in Delhi, Punjab and Telangana on Friday.

"Over 500 raids were conducted. Over 300 CBI/ED agents were engaged 24/7 for 3 months to find out evidence against Deputy CM Manish Sisodia. The valuable time of so many officers is being wasted for their dirty politics. How will the country progress?" he asked.

Earlier on September 16, the ED had raided 40 locations across the country, including Delhi, to look for evidence in the liquor scam. In this, 25 locations were raided in Hyderabad alone. Earlier in 2021, the ED had conducted raids in connection with the scam, he said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation has also conducted raids in this scam. Even Sisodia's bank account has been searched. The CBI has earlier arrested Vijay Nair, current communications in-charge of the Aam Aadmi Party, in connection with the case.

The ED registered a case of money laundering in the matter in the first week of September based on a CBI FIR against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and 14 others.