Quixplained: why is AAP linking Delhi liquor policy case approver Sarath Reddy, Aurobindo Pharma and BJP?

The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday cited electoral bonds data published by the Election Commission to allege that a company linked with the Delhi liquor policy case had donated money to the BJP via the funding scheme.

Delhi minister Atishi said that soon after a director of Aurobindo Pharma was arrested in the alleged liquor policy scam, the firm bought electoral bonds which were redeemed by the BJP.

Aurobindo Pharma had bought electoral bonds for a total of Rs 52 crore with more than half of it going to the Bharatiya Janata Party, according to data released by the Election Commission.

The Hyderabad-based firm had purchased electoral bonds between April 3, 2021 to November 8, 2023 and Rs 34.5 crore was donated to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Rs 15 crore to the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), and Rs 2.5 crore to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

The drug maker purchased electoral bonds worth Rs 5 crore on November 15, 2022 five days after one of its directors, P Sarath Chandra Reddy was arrested for involvement in money laundering linked to the controversial Delhi excise policy, which has been scrapped.

Comments from the company could not be obtained.

As per the Election Commission data, BJP encashed this sum on November 21, 2022.

Last year in June, Reddy turned approver in the case after a Delhi court allowed him to do so. Before that the Enforcement Directorate alleged that he indulged in unfair market practices to gain undue advantage from the liquor policy by conspiring with business owners and politicians involved in the excise case.

Atishi claimed that during initial questioning, Reddy had said that he had neither met Arvind Kejriwal nor spoken to him. She added that after he turned approver, he said that Kejriwal was involved in the scam and it was based on the statement of Reddy that the ED acted against the Delhi chief minister.

On November 8, 2023 Aurobindo Pharma bought electoral bonds worth Rs 25 crore which were encashed by the BJP on November 17, 2023.

Before that on January 5, 2022, Aurobindo Pharma had bought electoral bonds worth Rs 3 crore which were encashed by the BJP on January 12, 2022.

Earlier this week, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh had highlighted Aurobindo Pharma's case to attack the government on the now scrapped electoral bonds issue saying it was indulging in "hafta vasuli" (extortion) and claimed that 21 firms facing investigations from the CBI, ED, or IT have donated through electoral bonds.

(with PTI inputs)

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