Kejriwal has opted not to comply with the five summonses issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on various dates since November 2023. These summonses are part of the investigation into the purported Delhi Excise Policy scam.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has taken legal action against Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in a Delhi court for non-compliance with the central agency’s summons related to the Delhi excise policy case.
The complaint has been filed under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, outlining the ED’s powers concerning summons and document production. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra presided over the case, and Additional Solicitor General SV Raju represented the ED. The court has scheduled further consideration for February 7.
Despite receiving five summonses from the ED on different dates, Kejriwal has chosen not to appear before the central agency in connection with the alleged scam. Notably, senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders, including Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are already in custody in the same case.
The AAP has criticised the ED’s summonses as “politically motivated” and has alleged that the central agency is planning to arrest the Chief Minister.
The investigation by the ED into money laundering allegations originated from a case registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on August 17, 2022, concerning alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy for 2021-22. The CBI case was filed based on a complaint by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on July 20, 2022.
The ED subsequently initiated a money laundering case on August 22, 2022, focusing on the accused individuals. The probe revolves around allegations of a criminal conspiracy involving AAP leaders during the formulation of the policy, intentionally creating loopholes to favour certain licensees and conspirators post-tender. The central agencies assert that kickbacks were paid through hawala channels to AAP public servants, contributing to the objectives of “monopoly and cartelisation” in the liquor industry.
