New Delhi, India - The Directorate of Enforcement arrested Rajesh Joshi, owner of Chariot Media, for alleged money laundering in connection with the Delhi Excise scam. Joshi is accused of being a beneficiary of the kickback money originating from the ‘tweaked’ policy which favored ‘liquor lobbies’ and allegedly laundered and distributed among middlemen, government officials, and politicians.
According to the ED, Joshi spent a substantial amount of the kickback money on behalf of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the campaign during the 2022 elections in Goa. In the second chargesheet filed in connection with the scam, the ED stated that part of the Rs 100 crore kickback was used in the AAP's Goa poll campaign.
ED sources reported that Joshi and his firm were involved in the disbursal of the kickback money for the Goa elections. The agency will produce Joshi before a special PMLA court on Thursday and will seek his custodial remand.
The arrest of Rajesh Joshi follows the recent arrest of Punjab-based businessman Gautam Malhotra in the money laundering investigation linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise policy case. Gautam, associated with the Oasis Group, was arrested on Tuesday night and is currently in ED custody for further interrogation.
The arrests in the Delhi Excise scam continue as the authorities work to unravel the extent of the alleged irregularities and bring those responsible to justice.