Delhi excise policy case: Arvind Kejriwal skips 5th ED summons

Arvind Kejriwal. Pic/PTI

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday for questioning in an alleged money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy, according to the AAP, reported news agency PTI.

Delhi excise policy case: Fifth summons to Kejriwal

The ED on Wednesday had issued a fresh and the fifth summons to Kejriwal after he skipped four earlier summonses over the last four months.

Kejriwal has so far skipped four previous summons issued by the ED on January 18, January 3, November 2, and December 22, calling them "illegal and politically motivated."

Kejriwal will not appear before the agency for questioning, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said, reported PTI.

Terming the summons "illegal", the party said the ED is repeatedly sending notices to Kejriwal to arrest him, reported PTI.

Delhi excise policy case: BJP wants to topple its government in Delhi, says AAP

The AAP also alleged that the BJP wants to topple its government in Delhi by getting Kejriwal arrested. The AAP will not let this happen, it said, reported PTI.

The Delhi chief minister is, however, scheduled to take part in a protest of the AAP outside the BJP headquarters at 11 am.

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, reported PTI.

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).

The case is based on a First Information Report (FIR) alleging multiple irregularities in the formation and implementation of the Delhi excise policy (2021-22) by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The policy was withdrawn after allegations of corruption.

In its sixth charge sheet filed in the case on December 2, 2023, naming AAP leader Sanjay Singh and his aide Sarvesh Mishra, the ED has claimed that the AAP used kickbacks worth Rs 45 crore generated via the policy as part of its assembly elections campaign in Goa in 2022.

The excise policy was aimed at revitalizing the city's flagging liquor business and replacing a sales-volume-based regime with a licence fee for traders. It promised swankier stores and a better buying experience. The policy introduced discounts and offers on the purchase of liquor for the first time in Delhi.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)