The Enforcement Directorate has issued a fourth summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy. Kejriwal, who is also the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been called to appear before the agency on January 18. The Chief Minister had previously declined to appear before the ED for the third time on January 3, citing concerns about the agency’s approach. Kejriwal argued that the agency’s “non-disclosure and non-response approach” cannot withstand legal scrutiny, and its “obstinacy” amounts to taking on the roles of judge, jury, and executioner. The chief minister had earlier been summoned to depose on November 2 and December 21, 2023.
The case revolves around allegations that 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 AAP has consistently denied these accusations. Subsequently, the policy was scrapped, and Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe. Following this, the Enforcement Directorate registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ongoing summons to Kejriwal marks a continuation of the investigation into the alleged financial irregularities associated with the Delhi excise policy.
Post Your Comments