New Delhi: Arvind Kejriwal, the former Chief Minister of Delhi and a key figure in the ongoing Delhi excise policy case, has approached the court seeking a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to facilitate the renewal of his passport.
On Thursday, Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh issued a notice to both the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), requesting their responses by June 4, the date set for the next hearing.
During the proceedings, Kejriwal’s legal counsel informed the court that his passport has been expired since 2018, and he is applying for a renewal that would extend its validity for the next ten years.
In a related development, the CBI indicated to the judge that it is prepared to present arguments regarding the framing of charges in the corruption case associated with the alleged excise policy scam.
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The corruption allegations pertain to the now-repealed Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, which is currently under investigation by the CBI, while the ED is conducting a parallel inquiry into money laundering linked to the case.
The money laundering investigation was initiated following a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the CBI, which was prompted by a recommendation from Delhi’s Lieutenant Governor, V. K. Saxena, to investigate potential irregularities in the policy’s implementation.
According to findings from both the CBI and the ED, there were significant irregularities in the modification of the excise policy, with undue advantages reportedly granted to certain license holders.
The Delhi government initially implemented the excise policy on November 17, 2021, but it was scrapped by the end of September 2022 amid mounting allegations of corruption.
