With a Delhi court accepting the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) closure report in a case related to the 2010 Commonwealth Games (CWG), the Congress on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) leader and former Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal must apologise to the Congress and the people of India for misleading the country.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP and general-secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh said before 2014, AAP convenor Kejriwal and the BJP had come together to "fabricate scams" such as 2G and CWG to defame his party. "Two very honest and dedicated leaders — Dr Manmohan Singh and Mrs Sheila Dixit — were falsely accused," he said in a post in Hindi on X.
The truth of the alleged 2G scam had already been exposed in court and on Monday, the court accepted the ED's closure report in the CWG case as well, Ramesh said.
"It is clear — both the allegations were false! Narendra Modi and Arvind Kejriwal must apologise to the Congress and the people of India for misleading the country. Satyameva Jayate!" he said.
A Delhi court on Monday accepted the ED's closure report in a money-laundering case against Suresh Kalmadi, the former head of the organising committee of the 2010 CWG, its secretary-general Lalit Bhanot, and others. The acceptance of the closure report brought to an end the money-laundering angle in the alleged scam, which emerged 15 years ago.
The allegations of corruption in conducting the 2010 CWG triggered a huge political uproar in the country, leading to several criminal and money-laundering cases, including the present one, being filed.
Kalmadi and others were accused of misconduct in the award and execution of two important contracts for the games.
Special judge Sanjeev Aggarwal noted that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had already closed the corruption case, based on which the ED started its money-laundering probe. The judge took note of the ED's submission that the offence of money-laundering could not be proved during its investigation.
"Since during the investigations, the prosecution has failed to make out an offence under section 3 (money-laundering) of the PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act)... as no offence under section 3 of the PMLA has been made out or has been committed, despite discreet investigations by the ED, therefore, there is no reason to continue with the present ECIR. As a consequence, the closure report filed by the ED stands accepted," the judge said.
The sole money-laundering investigation was initiated by the ED on the basis of the case lodged by the CBI, which filed a closure report in January 2014 saying "no incriminating evidence surfaced during the investigation in the matter" and the allegations in the FIR could not be substantiated against the accused.
