Delhi Liquor Policy Scam: Kejriwal’s ₹12 Crore Bribe Allegation

🥃ED Charges, Bail Drama & A Shaken Democracy

In a country where political theatre often overshadows governance, the Delhi Liquor Policy Scam has become a boiling cauldron of accusation, arrest, and ambiguity. And right in the middle of it stands Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi — the man who once rode the anti-corruption wave into power, now accused of accepting ₹12 crore in bribes. Irony, it seems, ages like whisky.

🚨 What’s This Scam Really About?

In 2021, the Delhi government revamped its excise policy. The new plan allowed private players to dominate liquor retail, supposedly to bring efficiency and boost revenue. But the Enforcement Directorate (ED) claims it was a front — a neatly packaged “policy reform” hiding kickbacks, political funding, and sweetheart deals.

According to ED’s chargesheets, the “South Group” — a term coined to describe a cartel of businessmen and politicians — allegedly routed ₹100 crore in bribes to AAP leaders. The heart of the claim? Kejriwal and his party received ₹12 crore in cash to tweak policy terms and ensure specific vendors got the lion’s share of liquor licenses in Delhi.

🏛️ The Political Irony: Mr. Clean Under Fire

Kejriwal, once hailed as the torchbearer of India Against Corruption, now finds himself in the very storm he vowed to eliminate. The ED calls it money laundering. The AAP calls it political vendetta.

Nine ED summons were sent to Kejriwal. He ignored them all, calling the agency “BJP’s puppet.” The agency called his bluff and arrested him in March 2024 — a historic first: a sitting CM behind bars without resignation.

What followed was nothing short of a Netflix-worthy series of bail battles, courtroom twists, and late-night drama.

⚖️ The Bail Drama: A Judiciary Under Spotlight

First came interim bail from the Supreme Court during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Kejriwal walked out with cheers from his supporters. But it didn’t last long.

As soon as lower courts granted regular bail in June, the ED rushed to the High Court, which immediately put a stay. The court said, “The process was questionable, let’s review the facts.” Before he could walk out again, the CBI jumped in and arrested him on a fresh FIR — this time from inside Tihar Jail.

Just when it felt like the walls were closing in, Kejriwal managed to secure regular bail in the CBI case too, by September. The dance between liberty and law had rarely looked this choreographed.

🧠 Bigger Questions: What Does This Mean for India?

This scandal is more than a Kejriwal saga. It’s a reflection of a deeper crisis in Indian democracy.

1. Weaponisation of Law Enforcement?

Are the ED and CBI neutral institutions anymore, or are they now selective swords in political battles?

2. Selective Accountability?

When opposition leaders are targeted before elections but ruling party allies walk free, does the system remain trustworthy?

3. Judiciary’s Role Under Pressure

Frequent bail reversals and speedy hearings for high-profile cases raise a valid question: Is justice being served, or served selectively?

4. Public Perception Split

For some, Kejriwal is a fallen messiah. For others, a victim of a well-planned witch hunt. The verdict in the court of public opinion remains divided — and volatile.

🎯 Final Thoughts

The ₹12 crore bribery allegation is not just about liquor — it’s about power, perception, and a political narrative under siege.

When a man who rose to power on the back of anti-corruption crusades finds himself accused of the very same sin, the irony isn’t lost — it becomes legendary.

Whether Kejriwal is guilty or targeted, the real damage may be to India’s faith in clean governance, fair investigation, and equal justice.

In this case, truth isn’t just stranger than fiction. It’s drowning in a bottle of very expensive liquor — uncorked by the system, and passed around like a dirty secret.

Comments

comments