New Delhi: Launching an attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi soon after being acquitted, Arvind Kejriwal demanded an apology from him, alleging that the so-called “liquor scam” meant to crush AAP was also the “biggest political conspiracy in independent India”.Kejriwal, who spent six months in jail in 2024 while serving as chief minister of Delhi, said the court “did not even find the case fit to proceed and ordered disciplinary action against CBI’s investigating officer.”
Earlier in the day, the AAP chief broke down before the media after the verdict, calling it a “triumph of truth,” while his one-time deputy chief minister, Manish Sisodia, was seen consoling him. Kejriwal then arrived at his residence to an emotional welcome by his family members, including wife Sunita.Later, addressing a press conference at AAP headquarters, Kejriwal said, “PM Modi and Amit Shah hatched a political conspiracy” to form a govt in Delhi, and demanded that they apologise to the country. “For the past four years, ED, CBI and other govt institutions were used to level an allegation called the ‘liquor scam’ against us. CBI and ED filed charge sheets in the matter. Today, the court said it is such a fake case that there is not a single piece of evidence or a single witness to even begin a trial with,” Kejriwal said.The controversy erupted in July 2022, months after the then AAP govt introduced a revamped excise policy that fully privatised retail liquor sales, claiming it would curb corruption and boost revenue. Delhi’s LG recommended a probe into alleged irregularities in the policy, following which CBI registered a case and ED initiated a parallel money-laundering investigation.Five senior AAP politicians, including Kejriwal, Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Vijay Nair, were at one point behind bars in connection with the case. Kejriwal spent six months in jail, while Sisodia was incarcerated for nearly two years.Hitting out at BJP, Kejriwal said, “The public knows that Arvind Kejriwal is honest, so they attacked my honesty. After today’s court order, it was proved before the country that Kejriwal is kattar imaandar. Today, a huge burden has been lifted from my heart.”Kejriwal dared the PM to call fresh assembly elections in the capital. “You sent five of our top people to jail… even after that you could not harm me. Now the only way left to deal with Arvind Kejriwal is to get him killed… PM Modi and Amit Shah’s lust for power is the reason behind this conspiracy. Our family suffered a lot… the 3 crore people of Delhi suffered,” he said. “Go anywhere in Delhi today, the roads are broken. Medicines are no longer available in hospitals. Mohalla clinics are being shut down. Schools are in a bad condition. Pollution has reached levels never seen before. The Yamuna is in a terrible state. Tell me one thing BJP has improved in Delhi. They have ruined the entire city. The biggest price of their hunger for power was paid by the 3 crore people of Delhi. I challenge PM Modi, if you have courage, hold fresh elections in Delhi. If you win more than 10 seats, I will quit politics. The people of Delhi are fed up with you,” Kejriwal said.He said that AAP will file an application in court next week for discharge in connection with cases registered by ED. Kejriwal said the higher courts, including Supreme Court, will deliver justice the way the Delhi court did on Friday. “When there is no evidence and no witness, where will they get witnesses and evidence in the higher courts?” he said.
