AAP leaders used Delhi excise policy as device to generate illegal funds: ED

Leaders of AAP, some of whom are part of the government, considered the policy as a "device" to allegedly generate illegal funds at the cost of the state exchequer, it told the court on Wednesday.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Vijay Nair, arrested in connection with alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy case, received ₹100 crore in "kickbacks" from the 'south group' controlled by some businessmen and politicians, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has informed a local court.

Leaders of AAP, some of whom are part of the government, considered the policy as a "device" to allegedly generate illegal funds at the cost of the state exchequer, it told the court on Wednesday.

"As per the investigation carried so far, Vijay Nair, on behalf of leaders of AAP has at least received kickbacks to the tune of ₹100 crore from a group, called south group (controlled by Sarath Reddy, Ms K. Kavitha, Magunta Srinivasulu Reddy) by various persons including Amit Arora," the ED said, adding Amit Arora "disclosed" this during the recording of his statement.

Officials identified Kavitha as the MLC daughter of Telangana CM K. Chandrashekhar Rao.

Ms. Kavitha on Thursday said she and her party leaders are ready to face any inquiry.

"We state that we will face any kind of inquiry. If the agencies come and ask us questions we will certainly answer. But tarnishing leaders' images by giving selective leaks to the media, people will refute it," Ms. Kavitha said in Hyderabad.

The agency also said that at least 36 accused, including Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and a PA of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, "destroyed or used" 170 phones in order to conceal evidence of "kickbacks" worth thousand of crores of rupees in the alleged scam.