National Desk, 26th February: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has once again evaded appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for interrogation regarding a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22. Despite the seventh summons issued by the ED, Kejriwal, backed by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), maintains that the ED should await a court order instead of persistently summoning him.
The latest summons, dated February 26, marks Kejriwal’s consistent avoidance of interrogation since November 2 of the previous year. Denouncing the initial notice as “vague, motivated, and unsustainable in law,” Kejriwal disregarded subsequent summons issued on December 18, January 3, January 18, February 2, and February 19, deeming them “illegal.” He urged the ED to withdraw these summons in a letter.
Concurrently, the probe agency lodged a complaint against Kejriwal for “disobeying” its summons in this case. The ED’s investigation centers on the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22, which aimed to rejuvenate the liquor business in the city by replacing the sales-volume-based system with a license fee, intending to introduce modernized stores without metal grilles for a better buying experience.
However, the policy encountered resistance when Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena called for a CBI probe, alleging irregularities. The ED alleges that the AAP, led by Kejriwal, received kickbacks amounting to Rs 100 crore to finalize the excise policy. Moreover, it is asserted that a significant portion of this sum was utilized in the party’s election campaign in Goa.
During the investigation, the ED has already arrested prominent AAP leaders, including former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh.
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