NEW DELHI:
In a startling turn of events, the impartiality of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is being scrutinized by the citizens of the country. The ED’s conspicuous silence regarding the BJP’s alleged involvement in Delhi’s liquor scam, brought to light through electoral bonds, has sparked doubts about its allegiance.
Senior leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), Shri Jasmine Shah, likened the situation to the BJP transforming the ED into Gandhi Ji’s three monkeys. The AAP Leader’s assertion that the ED would turn a blind eye, a deaf ear, and a muted voice to any evidence against the BJP has left many perplexed.
Amidst these revelations, Shri Jasmine Shah has raised five poignant questions to the ED. One of them pertains to Sarath Reddy, the accused, allegedly funneling ₹55 crores to the BJP. Despite the money trail being in the public domain for 16 days, the ED has yet to initiate an investigation. Furthermore, he questioned why the ED is attempting to implicate the AAP without substantiated evidence while refraining from taking action against BJP’s national president, JP Nadda, despite clear evidence of the financial transaction. As concerns grow, the fundamental question arises: Is the ED truly an impartial investigative agency? The onus is on the ED to promptly address these pressing questions and uphold its integrity.
Senior AAP Leader Shri Jasmine Shah, in a press conference at the party headquarters, said that ever since the crucial facts related to the alleged liquor scam of Delhi have come in front of the country over the past two weeks. Particularly, three main accused individuals, based on whose statements CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal was arrested unlawfully at night, Sarath Reddy, Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, and Raghav Reddy; the entire country is questioning why Sarath Reddy, whom the ED had dubbed as the ‘kingpin’ of the alleged liquor scam, why he gave ₹55 crores to the BJP and what kind of nexus he has with the BJP?
“Magunta Reddy’s son, Raghav Reddy, was imprisoned for 5 months, after which he changed his statement, based on that CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal was arrested on one hand, and on the other hand, the NDA alliance gave a Lok Sabha ticket to Magunta Reddy on March 29th. Many questions are being raised about this. Today, every person in the country is questioning the ED that if Shri Arvind Kejriwal was arrested based on such false and frivolous statements, then there should also be an investigation into their relationship with the BJP. But today, the situation of the ED has become like the three monkeys of Gandhi. The BJP has turned the ED into those three monkeys who see no evil, hear no evil, and speak no evil. Therefore, no matter what evidence is presented against the BJP, the ED says that we will not listen to anything against the BJP, see nothing, and say nothing against them,” the Senior AAP Leader added.
Shri Jasmine Shah continued, “When CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal presented all these pieces of evidence in the Rouse Avenue Court before the judge, stating that Sarath Reddy’s ₹55 crore rupees’ money trail is in the BJP’s account, it was astonishing that the ED’s counsel, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Raju, without a blink denied it, stating that the money that they say came to the BJP has nothing to do with the liquor scam, there’s no ‘quid pro quo’.
“It is quite significant that the ED’s lawyer openly stated in court that if the BJP received ₹55 crore from the liquor scam, there is nothing wrong with it, denying that there is no proof of wrongdoing. This means that the ED investigated the money trail between Sarath Chandra Reddy and BJP within a second and even pronounced its verdict on the same. This shows the state of the ED. Consequently, the AAPis compelled to ask some crucial questions to the ED. If indeed the ED were a neutral investigating agency of the country, we should not have been compelled to question it. The ED has been investigating this case for two years. It has called approximately 500 witnesses, more than 250 raids have been conducted, and it is consistently tracing the money trail. Even when this data becomes public on the Election Commission’s website on March 21st and the money trail is proven, the ED remains silent. Therefore, these questions must be raised,” the AAP Leader affirmed.
The Aam Aadmi Party posed five questions to the ED:
- When the ED did not investigate, why did its lawyer say that the BJP has nothing to do with the alleged liquor scam?
Shri Jasmine Shah asked, “It has been 16 days since the list of the money trail came out in Delhi’s alleged liquor scam, clearly indicating that these transactions occurred not during the implementation of the liquor policy but after the ED investigation began. The alleged ‘kingpin’ of the liquor scam, Sarath Chandra Reddy, himself gave ₹55 crores to the BJP. If all the facts have been public for 16 days, what investigation has the ED conducted, how many raids have been conducted, and how many summons have been issued? If you have not investigated this matter, why did your lawyer, ASG Raju, without thinking, say in response in the Rouse Avenue Court that the BJP has nothing to do with the alleged liquor scam, this means that the ED investigated this and no one came to know?
- Why wasn’t the BJP implicated after the money trail of ₹55 crores was found?
“The second question is, the ED repeatedly says that they are considering making the AAP also accused because even after a two-year investigation, there is a suspicion that the money trail went to the Aam Aadmi Party, there is no evidence for this. Not even a single penny has been recovered. The ED has to answer why the BJP, which received a money trail of ₹55 crores, has not been implicated so far? Why was the BJP not made an accused because it is the largest party in the country, and the BJP’s government is at the center? Was the BJP not implicated because the orders given to the ED come from the BJP headquarters?” He questioned.
- What is the deal behind giving a ticket to the accused Mangunta Reddy?
Shri Jasmine Shah sought answer for his third question i.e. based solely on the false testimonies of alleged witnesses Sarath Chandra Reddy, Magunta Reddy, and Raghav Reddy, the ED arrested the National Convener of a national party and a sitting Chief Minister. But what investigation has the ED conducted into the party that received a ₹55 crores’ money trail? “What inquiries have you made to its President, JP Nadda? Why haven’t you arrested him yet? If there is equal law in this country, why is this law applied only to the AAP, especially when there is no evidence with the ED? Meanwhile, there is evidence against the BJP, yet you have taken no action against them for 16 days. The entire country has seen that in this case, one witness, Mangunta Sreenivasulu Reddy, has been given a Lok Sabha election ticket by the NDA. Then the question arises, after making allegations against Shri Arvind Kejriwal, his son was granted bail, and the BJP even rewarded him (MSR) with a LoK Sabha ticket from BJP’s ally TDP. The whole country has seen images of Mangunta Reddy shaking hands with PM Modi. What’s the deal behind the reward BJP gave to Mangunta Reddy?” He asked.
- Why isn’t the ED investigating the rewards Manguta Reddy is receiving from the BJP?
The Senior AAP Leader further asked that on one hand, the ED raises questions about AAP leaders in Goa without any evidence, sends them summonses, and interrogates them. But on the other hand, the main accused in the alleged liquor scam, Raghav and Mangunta Reddy, are being rewarded one after the other by the BJP. Why isn’t the ED investigating these things? Since these two have given statements according to the ED’s wishes, since then, what deals have been made between them and the BJP? Why isn’t an investigation being conducted? This incident happened in July 2023, they were granted bail, and in March 2024, he (MSR) received a ticket for the Lok Sabha. In these 9 months, they receive apologies, bail, and a Lok Sabha ticket as cherry on the cake. There is definitely something fishy in this. The country understands everything, but why is the ED silent? Why isn’t the ED taking any action?
- Who is funding Mangunta Reddy’s election campaign, and why isn’t this being investigated?
As his fifth and the last question Shri Jasmine Shah asked, “Two years ago, elections were held in Goa, and even today, the ED is questioning our workers and contractors, asking how they managed the expenses for setting up 100 chairs or how they covered the cost of 2 posters. Meanwhile, Mangunta Reddy is contesting in the Lok Sabha elections. He is campaigning and putting up PM Modi’s pictures everywhere. Who is funding his expenses? Why isn’t this being investigated? Where is the money coming from for all these expenses? What is the deal between the BJP and TDP? While it’s crystal clear that upon BJP’s instructions, Mangunta Reddy spoke against CM Shri Arvind Kejriwal, and then TDP, at BJP’s behest, awarded him a ticket for the elections.”
“We are compelled to ask these five crucial questions to the ED before the nation. It’s saddening that all these facts are public, yet the ED remains completely silent. The ED keeps denying that any such incident occurred. The AAP urges the ED to promptly provide answers to these five questions, the ED keeps taking AAP’s name without any evidence, but here they evidences.” Shri Jasmine Shah concluded.
