National Desk, 7th February: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned by a district court in New Delhi on February 17 following a petition filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding an alleged illegal liquor scam case.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra acknowledged the matter and issued summons for Kejriwal to appear before the court.
The ED had lodged a complaint against the Chief Minister at the Rouse Avenue Court on February 3 after he failed to comply with five previous summonses from the probe agency in connection with the alleged illegal liquor scam.
Responding to the court’s summons, AAP leader Jasmine Shah stated, “We are reviewing the order. Appropriate legal measures will be taken in response to the summons.”
Kejriwal had disregarded five summonses from the probe agency, labeling them as “unlawful attempts” to apprehend him. He contended that the summonses were designed to impede his election campaigning.
He had skipped ED summonses scheduled for November 2 and December 21, 2023, as well as January 3, January 18, and February 2 of this year.
According to the probe agency, the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which granted licenses to liquor traders, facilitated cartelization and favored specific dealers who allegedly paid bribes. The policy was revoked, and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi VK Saxena had recommended an investigation, leading the ED to register a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
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