The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has once again summoned Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for the fourth time in connection with the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case, according to official sources on Saturday. Kejriwal, the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been asked to appear before the agency on January 18.
The 55-year-old Chief Minister had previously declined to depose before the ED on January 3, citing concerns about the agency's "non-disclosure and non-response approach," which he argued could not withstand legal scrutiny. He criticized the agency's "obstinacy" as resembling the roles of judge, jury, and executioner.
Earlier summons were issued for Kejriwal to appear 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 purportedly paid bribes. The AAP has consistently denied these charges.
Subsequently, the excise policy was revoked, and Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe. In response, the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ongoing investigation seeks to unravel the financial implications of the excise policy and any potential money laundering activities associated with it.
(With Agency Inputs)
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