In a fresh trouble for Aam Aadmi Party chief Arvind Kejriwal, the Union Home Ministry has authorized the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to prosecute him under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) for his alleged involvement in money laundering related to the liquor scam case.
This comes ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, which are slated to be held on February 5.
The Union Ministry’s decision to give a go-ahead to the probe agency comes after Delhi Lt. Governor VK Saxena had given his nod to prosecute the former Delhi CM in the case.
In an order last November, the Supreme Court had stated that the ED has to take prior sanction before prosecuting public servants.
Later, the probe agency wrote to Saxena, claiming that granting of a sanction should be given since Kejriwal was the “kingpin and key conspirator” of the scam. The AAP national convener approached the Delhi High Court, saying that the chargesheet filed by the probe agency against him and others in the case was illegal because no prior sanction of authorities was taken before filing the prosecution complaint.