Delhi excise policy case: The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday issued a fresh summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor has been asked to appear before the probe agency on February 2.
Fifth summons to Kejriwal
This is the fifth summon by the federal agency to the Delhi Chief Minister. AAP leader has so far skipped four summons by the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged liquor scam. Kejriwal said the liquor scam case that was being talked about for the last two years was “fake” and the probe agencies have so far failed to present any evidence of corruption.
He had previously declined to appear before the federal agency on four earlier summons dated January 18, November 2, December 21, January 3, and January 18.
‘ED summons illegal, political conspiracy’
Kejriwal had termed the ED summons as illegal and a political conspiracy to stop him from campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. He alleged that the entire exercise of serving him summons was being carried out to arrest him before the high-octane polls, expected in April-May.
“The BJP is running the ED. They only intend to arrest me so that I cannot campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections,” he said.
Alleging that the notices are being sent under a “political conspiracy”, he said the probe into the excise policy case has been going on for two years but “nothing” has been found yet.
Earlier, Kejriwal alleged the BJP-led Central government wanted to arrest him and prevent him from campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in 2024, saying the ED summons issued to him was aimed at hurting his biggest asset honesty and defaming him.
Kejriwal, however, said that he would cooperate with ED provided he was issued a legally valid summons. “My lawyers have told me that the ED summons are illegal. The BJP wants to arrest me to stop me from campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls,” he alleged at an online press briefing.
It is alleged that the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP. The policy was subsequently scrapped and the Delhi lieutenant governor recommended a CBI probe, following which the ED registered a case under the PMLA.
The story is being updated
