New Delhi, 23 March 2024
After the money trail of around Rs 60 crore of Delhi liquor scam was found in BJP’s account, the Aam Aadmi Party has demanded the arrest of BJP National President JP Nadda. Senior AAP leader Atishi said that as soon as the information about electoral bonds became public, the link of money trail between BJP and liquor businessman Sarath Chandra Reddy has come in front of the people of the country. Before his arrest in the Delhi liquor case, Sarath Chandra Reddy had given Rs 4.5 crore to BJP and after his arrest he gave Rs 55 crore. The party says that Sarath Chandra Reddy, who was made the main conspirator by the ED, had earlier stated that he did not know Arvind Kejriwal. But as soon as he got bail, Sarath Chandra Reddy turned hostile and became a government witness. Now, based on the statement by the same Sarath Chandra Reddy, CM Arvind Kejriwal has been arrested. Atishi challenged PM Narendra Modi and ED and said that money trail has now been found in the liquor scam. Therefore, BJP National President JP Nadda should be arrested.
AAP senior leaders Atishi, Saurabh Bharadwaj, Jasmine Shah, and Chief Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar held a joint press conference at the party headquarters and exposed the BJP’s conspiracy in the alleged liquor scam case.
AAP senior leader and Delhi Cabinet Minister Atishi said, “CBI and ED have been investigating the alleged liquor scam for the past two years. Whether the case was discussed in the lower court, high court or the Supreme Court in these two years, one question was always asked: Where is the money trail? Where did the money go?”
It was mentioned that liquor businessmen profited from this policy. If they profited, then whom did they bribe? Despite two years of investigation, hundreds of raids, and questioning of thousands of individuals, not a single penny from the proceeds of crime was recovered from any worker or leader of the Aam Aadmi Party. The question of the ‘money trail’ was repeatedly raised in the Supreme Court during the hearing as well as in its orders, said Ms. Atishi.
The AAP senior leader said, “Two days ago, CM Arvind Kejriwal was arrested in connection with this alleged liquor scam. The arrest of CM Arvind Kejriwal is based on the statement of just one person. This individual is Sarath Chandra Reddy, the owner of a well-known pharmaceutical company named Aurobindo Pharma. His other significant companies are APL Healthcare and Ugea Pharma. He also obtained some liquor shops in certain zones of Delhi under the Delhi Liquor Policy.”
She added that Sarath Reddy was called in for questioning on November 9, 2022. He clearly stated that he had never met or spoken to CM Arvind Kejriwal and is not in any way related to the Aam Aadmi Party. As soon as he mentioned that he never met Arvind Kejriwal, he was arrested the next day by the ED. After spending a few months in jail, he changed his statement. He then claimed that he met Arvind Kejriwal and even discussed the liquor policy with him. After changing his statement, he was granted bail.
Ms. Atishi said, “But this is just a statement, where is the money trail? The BJP and its right-hand Enforcement Directorate (ED) are repeatedly asserting that money was earned from the liquor policy, and businessmen used it for corruption as bribes. But this is just a statement of Sarath Chandra Reddy on the basis of which Arvind Kejriwal was arrested.”
She added that she would expose the money trail today. The companies owned by Sarath Reddy bought electoral bonds and donated money to the BJP. Today, this money trail has been exposed in front of the entire country. Sarath Chandra Reddy purchased electoral bonds worth Rs 4.5 crores while the excise policy was being formulated, and after his arrest, he purchased electoral bonds worth Rs 55 crores and the money went to the BJP. So, the money trail that has been sought for the past two years is here.
Ms. Atishi said, “I am challenging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) that today the money trail of a liquor scam has been found. All the money has gone into the bank accounts of the BJP. So now the ED should make the BJP a party in the case and arrest the National President of the BJP, JP Nadda. For the first time, an official money trail has come to light in a liquor policy case, and this money trail has gone directly from liquor traders to the BJP’s bank accounts.”
Addressing the media, senior AAP leader and Cabinet Minister in Delhi Government Shri Saurabh Bharadwaj stated that since the discussion about electoral bonds began in the Supreme Court, it has become apparent to everyone that the Bharatiya Janata Party, the central government, the SBI, and the Election Commission were all attempting to prevent the Supreme Court from investigating which company issued electoral bonds to which party, so that the details are not made public. However, since these details have become public, serious questions have been raised against the BJP.
Enunciating a date-wise breakdown, Shri Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “It was stated that Aurobindo Pharmacy and its director were involved in money laundering. Being involved in money laundering implies corruption. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is stated that they are corrupt. Whichever company or individual is involved in money laundering, your (BJP’s) ED is conducting raids, your ED is making arrests, and that company is giving you (BJP) a donation. It’s not just one or two rupees, but the Bharatiya Janata Party has taken a donation of ₹59.5 crores, directly from their account to the BJP’s account, and there is evidence of this.
“It’s important to talk about the period before November 2021 because this policy came in November 2021. Under this policy, the ED alleges that Sarath Chandra Reddy and related companies received five zones of liquor vends in Delhi. When this policy came in November 2021, during its implementation, on January 5, 2022, when this policy was in operation, they (Sarath Chandra Reddy’s company) had five zones, during which Aurobindo Pharma purchased bonds worth ₹3 crores. A few days later, the BJP encashed the bonds. Now evidence has emerged that the BJP took the money. A few days later, in July, Aurobindo Pharma purchased bonds worth ₹1.5 crores, and in July 2022, the BJP encashed those bonds, and the money from Aurobindo Pharma came in. So far, there has been no case against Aurobindo Pharma.
The AAP leader said that in July 2022, the government withdrew this policy. After this, cases started being filed everywhere, cases were filed by the CBI, investigations were underway against the companies that were on radar. On November 9, 2022, the ED summoned Sarath Chandra Reddy. Sarath Chandra Reddy says, “I have never met Shri Arvind Kejriwal, there is no question of any monetary transactions.” The next day, on November 10, 2022, the ED arrests Sarath Chandra Reddy. On November 15, 2022, Aurobindo Pharma purchased bonds worth ₹5 crores and gave them to the BJP. Now it’s clear, you (ED) have that man, his director is with you in jail, involved in money laundering. It’s his father’s company, and the BJP has taken ₹5 crores in bonds from that company.
Shri Saurabh Bharadwaj said, “After that, on January 6, 2023, even after Sarath Chandra Reddy paid ₹5 crores he’s still in jail, Sarath Chandra Reddy was questioned again and a chart sheet was filed. Within the charge sheet, the ED said that Sarath Chandra Reddy did not confess, but the ED is saying that he is the kingpin. And yesterday the ED accused Shri Arvind Kejriwal to be the kingpin, on January 6, 2023, it was Sarath Chandra Reddy. Sarath Chandra Reddy was called the kingpin, charges were filed against him, and it was stated that he is the biggest beneficiary. Just as yesterday Shri Arvind Kejriwal was told that he is also the kingpin and the beneficiary. Just like Sarath Chandra Reddy was told a year ago.”
The AAP leader further added that in January 2020, when the bail hearing of Sarath Chandra Reddy was taking place, he was still in jail, and he accused the ED of trying to take coercive statements from him using force and also intimidating his employees. This is not our statement but Sarath Chandra Reddy’s statement in his bail plea, “Pressure is being exerted on me to give a pre-dictated statement that the ED is suggesting. This is from January 20, 2023. After six months, the man had been languishing in jail, the son of a millionaire father, the owner of many big companies was in jail. In April, about 6 months later, Sarath Chandra Reddy gave a statement saying, ‘Yes, I gave ₹100 crores’. After denying it several times over six months, he finally gave this statement, added Saurabh Bharadwaj.
“After that, in May, this case goes to the High Court. Now, the pressure the ED was putting on him for a statement, which he himself revealed. He finally gave that pre-dictated statement in April 2023. In May, his application was filed within the High Court stating that there is a lot of pain in his back, the ED said yes sir, he is experiencing a lot of pain in his back, therefore, bail should be granted to him. We don’t get leave from our office for back pain, but the ED granted bail on May 8, 2023. As soon as bail was granted, the bird was set free, and on June 2, 2023, Sarath Chandra Reddy became a government approver. It means he sought refuge in the government. As whoever seeks refuge, they have to offer something in return,” Shri Saurabh Bharadwaj shared.
He further added that in 2023, Sarath Chandra Reddy becomes an approver in November 2023, when the government already knew out that he is the accused of money laundering, allegedly giving a bribe of ₹100 crores, he was in jail, still the BJP took ₹50 crores from him through three companies, the first company and Aurobindo Pharma, and its two subsidiaries (15 crores from Eugia Pharma Specialities Ltd +10 crores from APL Healthcare, both wholly owned by Aurobindo Pharma). The BJP took ₹50 crores in electoral bonds from Sarath Chandra Reddy’s companies. Now what happened, who, what, who is taking what, no one was supposed to tell, it was made a law in the country that which company is taking money from whom, which company is giving money to which party, this was the law of the country, no one was supposed to be told.
The AAP Leader affirmed that the Supreme Court had decided on a petition and by twisting the Central Government’s arm openly. This list was uploaded on March 21, 2024 at 6.30 PM, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) reached the house of Shri Arvind Kejriwal at 7:00 PM, he was arrested at 9:00 PM. This is what’s happening in the country today. Why it’s happening, we all understand. Because on the 21st, the veil was lifted off the BJP. The BJP spokespersons have been teaching us this lesson through the media for so many days that if money comes to a political party, it also becomes an accused, whether it’s Sambit Patra, Gaurav Bhatia, or Smriti Irani. So now Atishi has revealed that the BJP has received ₹59.5 crores from these companies. State Bank of India has stated this, it is on the Election Commission’s website, no proof is needed.
“Out of this, ₹55 crores is when he became an accused, when the BJP’s Central Government found out and the whole world found out that he is accused of money laundering. Even then, the BJP took ₹55 crores from him. In this case, because the money trail is directly going to the BJP, the proceeds and crime are directly reaching the BJP, therefore, the BJP should be made the accused in this case, just as Shri Arvind Kejriwal was arrested. It is said that the party which got the benefits, you’re its convenor. Now, you know that BJP got benefitted, the ED should treat them equally. An appeal to the ED is to go and interrogate the President of the BJP, JP Nadda and if he does not cooperate in the interrogation, he should also be arrested and made an accused,” Shri Saurabh Bharadwaj concluded.
Dialogue and Development Commission, Delhi Government, Vice Chairperson Shri Jasmine Shah stated, “The serious facts and evidence that have come before the people of the country today have proved that perhaps the biggest political scam in the history of India has been committed by BJP. We (AAP) have extensively exposed this open and shut case of political corruption by the BJP through this press conference. The AAP has placed all the facts before the people of the country.”
“The BJP has been claiming this for the past two years that everything is happening as per the law, law is the same for everyone, the AAP should follow the law. I would just request the public to just think of one question, that if all this money was given by Sarath Chandra Reddy to AAP, then do you think the AAP leaders would have been free or all of those ministers and leaders would be behind bars? If this proof is enough to put the AAP leaders behind bars, then why is it not applicable to the BJP?”, he questioned.
Shri Jasmine Shah further added how the BJP has been extorting money publicly. They are not just conspiring against the AAP leaders to get them arrested but they are killing two birds with one stone. The BJP first arrested Sarath Chandra Reddy through the ED, and the ED report states that he is the biggest ‘kingpin’ and the beneficiary in this so-called liquor policy scam. Within a few months, the biggest kingpin of the scam suddenly becomes the star approver or the prime witness of the case. It is noteworthy that a few months later, within a total of 12 months, around Rs 60 crore were recovered, which makes it clear that the same Sarath Chandra Reddy had also become the star donor of the BJP.
“The BJP never speculated that this would ever come to light. This is God’s will that all these facts were exposed through the medium of the Supreme Court. These facts would have never come out. It is not just about the money laundering funds; the BJP had made every possible effort to hide the trail of this money laundering. All the national agencies including the SBI, Finance Secretary, Finance Department, Finance Minister, the RBI, Election Commission of India, stood with the BJP and said that they would not release any data related to the electoral bonds”, he continued.
Shri Jasmine Shah further added how it was purely by God’s grace that the BJP’s evil deeds have been exposed in front of the country. This is an open and shut case, and nothing is left for the BJP now, they have been publicly exposed in front of the country.
“The nation knows how you (BJP and ED) have arrested Shri Arvind Kejriwal in a fake case and have placed the statement of a prime witness in the court, on the basis of which you (ED) have filed the remand application, that prime witness is none other than the prime donor of the BJP”, he concluded.
The National Chief Spokesperson of the AAP, Ms Priyanka Kakkar, stated, “There was no evidence in our case, yet BJP’s senior leaders keep saying that they have prima facie proof against us. They kept saying that there is a ‘South Lobby’ to which money has been given. Now, it has been exposed with dates how the BJP extorted donations from Sarath Chandra Reddy, who was known as the ‘South Lobby’, has now become the prime approver in the case. Shri Arvind Kejriwal has been sent on a remand for six days based on the statements of this approver, who has continuously given donations to the BJP through electoral bonds.”
Priyanka Kakkar further added how all the institutions and the BJP tried their best to suppress all these things. It took a lot of hard work and the Supreme Court showed foresight, adopted the strict stance, and said that the information about all the information related to these electoral bonds will have to be made public. The data before 2019 is still missing, she added.
“The prima facie what was visible according to the BJP in our case is none other than the star donor of the BJP. Sarath Chandra Reddy, who has given huge donations to the BJP, easily procured bail and became the prime approver. Even the ED did not express any objection on his bail, which itself is shocking, because the ED strictly opposes bail. We have seen time and again how the ED opposes bail, their opposition leads to rejection of bail application because the provisions of the PMLA are extremely stringent. It is astonishing how the ED granted regular bail to Sarath Chandra Reddy solely because of lower back pain.”
Priyanka Kakkar also condemned the ED for targeting the AAP and its leaders since the last two years even though they have not recovered a single penny. She stated, “The ED has created this whole fiasco since the last two years even though they have not recovered a single penny. Now that all this (electoral bonds) data is publicly available, it is important for everyone to safeguard the democracy and the Constitution of India. It is our collective responsibility to hold the BJP accountable in this scam.”
“It is extremely important for the media to demand accountability from the BJP, how the BJP was regularly extorting donations from the ‘South Lobby’, and how did the ‘kingpin’ of this scam got regular bail, even though it has been proven that funds have been transferred to the BJP. The media must ask them how our leaders are still in jail even though the ED has not been able to recover a single penny from their properties,” she added.
Ms. Priyanka Kakkar also appealed to the media to pursue this matter aggressively and demand full accountability from the BJP. The media must ensure that all the facts are out in public. The media must ensure that the BJP becomes the accused in this excise policy scam, because all the donations have been transferred to the BJP. The media must ensure that our democracy, our democracy, our institutions stay protected and accountable, she concluded.
