The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a fresh and sixth summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for his questioning in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case. According to the information, Kejriwal has been asked to appear before the ED on February 19.
The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP's) national convenor had skipped five earlier summons issued by the federal agency over the last five months. The 55-year-old politician was called on earlier dates like February 2, January 18, January 3 and December 21 and November 2 in 2023. He chose not to appear on these dates and always called notices "illegal".
What did court say on ED's plea?
Meanwhile, the AAP also alleged that the BJP wants to topple its government in Delhi by getting Kejriwal arrested. Last week, a Delhi court had asked Kejriwal to appear before it on February 17 acting on a complaint filed by the ED for disobeying the agency's summons in this case and noted that prima facie the AAP chief was "legally bound" to comply.
In its complaint, the ED alleged that the Delhi CM intentionally did not want to obey the summons and kept on giving "lame excuses. " If a high-ranking public functionary like him disobeyed the law, it would "set a wrong example for the common man i.e. the Aam Aadmi,” the agency said.
Kejriwal 'purportedly failed' to appear before ED
Meanwhile, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra said that Kejriwal "purportedly failed" to appear before the investigating agency Enforcement Directorate and summoned him for the offence under Section 174 of IPC (non-attendance in obedience to an order from public servant).
“From the contents of the complaint and the material placed on record, prima facie offence under Section 174 of the IPC is made out and there are sufficient grounds for proceeding against accused Arvind Kejriwal. Accordingly, issue summons to accused Arvind Kejriwal for the offence under Section 174 of the IPC for February 17, 2024,” the judge said, as per the news agency PTI.
Delhi excise policy scam
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 Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation probe, following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
