Delhi CM, Arvind Kejriwal
Official sources stated on Wednesday that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has received a fifth and new summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his questioning in the money laundering case related to the Delhi excise policy. Over the previous four months, Kejriwal—who is also the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)—had ignored four previous summonses from the federal agency.
Kejriwal calls ED summons “illegal”
Although it is known that the new summons was intended for February 2, official confirmation was still pending. The former IRS official, who is 55 years old, was summoned on prior days in 2023, including January 18 and January 3, as well as December 21 and November 2.
These notices are what he has always called “illegal”. Kejriwal’s argument that the summons he was given was “not in consonance with the law” and should be withdrawn has once again been rejected by the ED with the issuance of the new notice. In charge sheets the ED submitted in the case, Kejriwal’s name has appeared several times. According to the agency, he was contacted by the accused about the creation of the now-cancelled Delhi Excise Policy 2021–2022.
Manish Sisodia under arrest in similar case
Up to now, the ED has detained several businesspeople and party communications coordinator Vijay Nair in addition to AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh. In its charge sheet, the ED asserted that the AAP had spent approximately Rs 45 crore on “proceeds of crime” during the Goa election campaign.
A new supplemental charge sheet is anticipated from the agency in this instance, and it is possible that the AAP may be identified as a “beneficiary” of the purported kickbacks produced by the excise policy.
It has been repeatedly charged that the excise policy of the Delhi government for 2021–22, which granted licenses to liquor retailers, encouraged cartelization and favored particular dealers who had reportedly paid bribes for it.
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