The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has extended an official summons to Arvind Kejriwal, the leader of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Chief Minister of Delhi. The purpose of this summons is to request his presence for an inquiry related to a case involving money laundering that is intricately linked to the now-defunct excise policy.
The ED has called upon Arvind Kejriwal to participate in this investigation, and the scheduled date for his appearance is November 2, which falls on a Thursday.
It is noteworthy that this particular case has already led to significant legal actions, including the arrest of Arvind Kejriwal's former deputy, Manish Sisodia, in February earlier this year. Furthermore, the case has resulted in the apprehension of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on October 4. Sanjay Singh, following his arrest, has been subjected to judicial custody until November 10.
The decision to summon Arvind Kejriwal from the ED followed closely on the heels of the Supreme Court's dismissal of Manish Sisodia's bail plea in the money laundering case. The Supreme Court cited the tentative establishment of a money trail amounting to Rs 338 crore within the case, effectively implicating Manish Sisodia as the prime accused.
It is also pertinent to mention that earlier in April this year, Arvind Kejriwal had been called for questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with this very case. However, it's crucial to note that he was not explicitly named as an accused in the FIR lodged by CBI in August of the preceding year.
During his extensive nine-hour interrogation by the CBI, Kejriwal had expressed his cooperation and transparency, stating, "I was called at 11 a.m., and they questioned me until 8.30 p.m. They questioned me in a cordial atmosphere. I want to thank CBI officers for their hospitality and courtesy. I answered all the questions because I did not have anything to hide," following his return from the CBI office.
In response to the recent summons issued by the ED, Saurabh Bhardwaj, an AAP leader and Delhi minister, levied allegations against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), claiming that they were determined to stifle AAP at any cost. He contended that the BJP's intentions were centered around arresting Arvind Kejriwal on fabricated charges.
The ED and CBI, two central investigative agencies, have advanced allegations that the liquor policy that was instated by the AAP-led Delhi government resulted in cartelization. This, they claim, favored individuals who were not eligible for liquor licenses, all for the sake of monetary gains.
In contrast, Arvind Kejriwal and his party vehemently refute these allegations and assert that the revised policy would have actually led to an augmentation in revenue sharing, which was ultimately in the best interests of the state.
