Probe agencies CBI and ED have both claimed to made headway into their Delhi liquor policy case investigation. The Central Bureau of Investigation has told the court that they could arrest some “high-profile persons” as they probe alleged money laundering in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy for 2021-22, which allegedly benefited certain liquor dealers

The Enforcement Directorate also put forth a theory alleging that BRS leader K Kavitha conspired with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders in the case. The agency alleges that Kavitha paid Rs 100 crore to Aam Aadmi Party leaders.

Kavitha, the daughter of former Telangana chief minister K Chandrashekar Rao, was arrested by the agency last week from her Hyderabad home and she is in the ED custody till March 23.

“Probe found that Ms K Kavitha along with others conspired with the top leaders of AAP including Arvind Kejriwal and Manish Sisodia for getting favours in the Delhi excise policy-formulation and implementation,” the ED said in a statement.  

“In exchange of these favours, she was involved in paying Rs 100 crore to the leaders of AAP,” the agency said.

The agency claimed that by the acts of “corruption and conspiracy” in the formulation and implementation of Delhi excise policy 2021-22, a continuous stream of illegal funds in the form of kickbacks from the wholesalers was generated for the AAP, it said.

The Aam Aadmi Party though, has denied all these charges and alleged that the probe is being used to malign Mr Kejriwal’s image ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

“On earlier occasions too, ED has released such blatantly false and frivolous statements which show that instead of being a neutral investigative agency, it is working like a political wing of BJP,” AAP said in a statement.

No immediate reaction was available from the BJP over the AAP’s charge.

The AAP said the agency’s charges are a “desperate attempt” to malign the image of its Mr Kejriwal and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia by “planting falsehoods and creating a media sensation” every day.

“ED’s statement, which presents no new fact or evidence, speaks volumes of its frustration since they have not recovered a single rupee or piece of evidence in this case, despite carrying out over 500 raids and questioning thousands of witnesses,” the AAP said.

The ED and the CBI had alleged that the Delhi government’s excise policy to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge strongly refuted by the AAP.

The policy was scrapped by the Kejriwal government, days after Delhi L-G VK Saxena in July 2022 recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in its formulation and implementation. Later, a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) linked to the excise policy case, was registered by the ED.

A 20-year-old Indian student was found dead in the US with his family alleging that he was murdered.

Abhijeeth Paruchuru, a resident of Burripalem in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur district, was an engineering student at Boston University, while his parents, Paruchuri Chakradhar and Srilakshmi Boruna, were based in Connecticut, officials said on Monday.

According to his family, he was murdered by unidentified persons on the university campus on March 11 and left his body in a car in a forest.

The officials identified his body based on his cell phone signals following a complaint from his friends.

The Consulate General of India in New York, however, said that the initial investigation has ruled out anything suspicious.

“Paruchuru’s parents are in direct touch with detectives. Initial investigations rule out foul play,” the consulate said in a post on X.

“Deeply saddened to learn about the unfortunate demise of Abhijeeth Paruchuru, an Indian student in Boston,” it said.

The consulate also said that it “rendered assistance in documentation and transportation of his mortal remains to India” and it remains in touch with local authorities as well as the Indian-American community in the matter.

Deeply saddened to learn about the unfortunate demise of Mr. Abhijeeth Paruchuru, an Indian student in Boston.

Mr. Puruchuru’s parents, based in Connecticut 🇺🇸, are in direct touch with detectives. Initial investigations rule out foul play. @IndiainNewYork rendered…

— India in New York (@IndiainNewYork) March 18, 2024

Paruchuru’s last rites were performed in his hometown in Andhra Pradesh on Monday.

Since the beginning of 2024, there have been at least nine deaths of Indian and Indian-origin students in the US.

Bengaluru Police seize explosives and gelatin sticks near a school concealed in a tractor, electronic detonators were also found unregistered. Investigation underway.