New Delhi, February 3: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken legal action against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for failing to comply with their summons in the ongoing liquor policy money laundering case. This move comes after Kejriwal skipped the ED’s summons for the fifth time on Saturday, February 3rd. He has previously disregarded four other summons issued on January 18th, January 3rd, November 2nd, and December 22nd, labeling them “illegal” and “politically motivated.”
The ED seeks to record Kejriwal’s statement on various aspects of the Delhi excise policy, including its formulation, pre-implementation meetings, and allegations of bribery. However, Kejriwal’s repeated refusal to appear has prompted the ED to file a complaint against him at Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court. The court heard initial arguments on Saturday and adjourned the matter until February 7th for further submissions and deliberation.
This development has drawn reactions from various political figures. BJP leader Dilip Ghosh accused Kejriwal of being afraid to face the investigation, stating that the ED’s role is to investigate and people shouldn’t fear legal processes. He further suggested that Kejriwal should challenge the summons in court if he believes it’s illegal.
The liquor policy case itself has seen several twists and turns, with two senior AAP leaders – Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh – already under judicial custody. Sisodia, the former Deputy Chief Minister, was arrested by the CBI in February 2023, while Singh, a Rajya Sabha member, was apprehended by the ED in October 2023. The ED, in its sixth charge sheet filed in December 2023, accused the AAP of using kickbacks generated through the policy for its Goa election campaign in 2022.
As the legal battle unfolds, it remains to be seen how Kejriwal will respond to the ED’s complaint and whether he will choose to cooperate with the investigation. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for both Kejriwal and the ongoing political discourse in India.
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