New Delhi: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has once again summoned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the fourth time as part of a money laundering investigation linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy for 2021-22. The ED has requested his participation in the probe scheduled for January 18.
This latest summons comes in the wake of Kejriwal's failure to attend the third summons issued last week. The Chief Minister has consistently labeled these summons, including those on January 3, November 2, and December 22, as "illegal and politically motivated."
The ED aims to record Kejriwal's statement on various aspects of the case, including the policy formulation process, pre-finalization meetings, and allegations of bribery. In his defense, Kejriwal, while skipping the third summons, expressed his willingness to cooperate but accused the agency of having the ulterior motive of arresting him and disrupting his election campaigning.
The case against the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader is based on a First Information Report (FIR) highlighting irregularities in the creation and implementation of the Delhi excise policy (2021-22) by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The policy was later withdrawn amid corruption allegations.
In its sixth charge sheet filed on December 2, 2023, the ED implicated AAP leader Sanjay Singh and his associate Sarvesh Mishra, alleging that the party utilized kickbacks totaling Rs 45 crore from the policy for its 2022 assembly elections campaign in Goa.
Regarding Kejriwal's involvement, a January 2023 charge sheet states that Kejriwal informed businessman Sameer Mahendru that former AAP communications in-charge Vijay Nair "is his boy" and should be trusted.
The controversial excise policy aimed to rejuvenate the liquor business in the city, replacing a sales-volume-based regime with a trader license fee. It promised improved liquor stores and a better purchasing experience, introducing discounts and offers on liquor purchases for the first time in Delhi.
The Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena's decision to investigate alleged irregularities led to the policy's cancellation. The AAP accused Saxena's predecessor, Anil Baijal, of sabotaging the move with last-minute changes that resulted in lower-than-expected revenues.
Two senior AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are already in judicial custody in connection with the case. Sisodia, the former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the CBI on February 26, while Singh, a Rajya Sabha member, was arrested by the ED on October 5.
—Input from Agencies