Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal To Skip ED Summons For Fifth Time
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will skip the Enforcement Directorate’s summons for the fifth time in connection with the money laundering probe related to irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22 case.
This latest summons comes on the heels of his absence on January 18, marking the fourth time he skipped a summons from the ED.
In response to the evasion of the fifth summons, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) deemed it “unlawful.” The party stated, “Delhi CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal will not appear before ED today as well. We will comply with the lawful summons. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aim is to arrest Arvind Kejriwal and topple the Delhi government. We will not allow this to happen.”
Kejriwal has previously avoided four summons issued by the ED, terming them “illegal and politically motivated” on January 18, January 3, November 2, and December 22.
The Enforcement Directorate seeks Kejriwal’s statement regarding the case, covering aspects such as policy formulation, pre-finalization meetings, and allegations of bribery.
During his evasion of the fourth summons, Kejriwal labeled it as “illegal,” asserting his willingness to cooperate. He accused the agency of intending to arrest him and disrupt his election campaigning.
“All four notices sent to me (by the ED) are illegal and invalid in the eyes of the law. Whenever such general, non-specific notices were sent by the ED in the past, they were quashed and declared invalid by courts. These notices are being sent as part of a political conspiracy,” Kejriwal stated after avoiding the fourth notice.
The case is rooted in a First Information Report (FIR) highlighting multiple irregularities in the formulation and execution of the Delhi excise policy (2021-22) by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The policy faced withdrawal amid corruption allegations.
In its sixth charge sheet filed on December 2, 2023, the ED implicated AAP leader Sanjay Singh and his aide Sarvesh Mishra, claiming that the AAP utilized kickbacks worth Rs 45 crore generated through the policy for its assembly elections campaign in Goa in 2022.
The excise policy aimed to rejuvenate the city’s declining liquor business, replacing a sales-volume-based regime with a license fee for traders. It promised upgraded stores, a better buying experience, and introduced discounts and offers on liquor purchases for the first time in Delhi.
A probe into alleged irregularities by Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena led to the policy’s cancellation. The AAP accused Saxena’s predecessor, Anil Baijal, of sabotaging the move with last-minute changes resulting in lower-than-expected revenues.
Notably, two senior AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are already in judicial custody as part of this case. Sisodia, the then Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the CBI on February 26, and on October 5, the ED arrested Singh, a Rajya Sabha member.
