THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, Jan 18: For the fourth time, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will skip the summons from the Enforcement Directorate on the liquor policy case. In connection with the investigation into a money laundering case relating to the Delhi excise policy scandal, the head of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was asked to appear before the investigative agency today for questioning.
In response to the summons, Arvind Kejriwal has now stated that he will not be appearing before the agency. According to his party, the agency’s intention is to arrest Arvind Kejriwal, thereby disrupting his involvement in the Lok Sabha elections campaigning.
“ED has said Kejriwal is not an accused, then why is he being summoned? Corrupt leaders go to BJP, their cases are closed. We have not done any corruption, none of our leaders will go to BJP,” the AAP stated.
Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann are set to embark on a three-day tour of Goa today. The purpose of his visit is to interact with party workers and possibly address a public rally in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
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Kejriwal earlier said ED summons illegal
Before this fourth one, Kejriwal has avoided responding to summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) three times, on January 3, November 2, and December 22, deeming them as unlawful and driven by political motives.
In the case, the ED seeks to record Kejriwal’s statement regarding matters such as policy formulation, pre-finalization meetings, and bribery allegations.
Kejriwal called the third ED summons “illegal” and skipped it, stating that although he was willing to comply, the agency’s goal was to arrest him and prevent him from doing electoral campaigning.
ED charges implicate Kejriwal’s involvement
The Central Bureau of Investigation’s First Information Report (FIR), alleges numerous irregularities in the development and execution of the Delhi excise policy (2021–22), serves as the foundation for the case against the head of the Aam Aadmi Party. The policy was rescinded in response to accusations of corruption.
The ED has stated that the AAP used bribes of Rs 45 crore obtained via the policy as part of their assembly elections campaign in Goa in 2022. The ED made this allegation in its sixth charge sheet, which was submitted on December 2, 2023, and named AAP leader Sanjay Singh and his aide Sarvesh Mishra.
In one of the six charge sheets filed in January 2023, it is mentioned that Kejriwal conveyed to businessman Sameer Mahendru that Vijay Nair, the former AAP communications in-charge, is someone he supports and trusts and advises Mahendru to place trust in him.
Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, two prominent AAP leaders, are already being held in judicial custody in connection with this issue. The CBI arrested Sisodia, the deputy chief minister of Delhi at the time, on February 26 after multiple rounds of interrogation. The ED arrested Singh, a member of the Rajya Sabha, on October 5.
