Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today skipped a seventh summons by probe agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy matter.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) urged the ED to respect the legal process and await the court’s decision instead of repeatedly issuing summonses to Mr Kejriwal. The party contends that the multiple summonses served to the Chief Minister are unwarranted.
“The matter is currently in court, with the next hearing scheduled for March 16. Instead of dispatching daily summons, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) should exercise patience and await the court’s decision,” the AAP said.
This was the seventh time that Mr Kejriwal was summoned by the probe agency in connection to the case. Earlier this month, the agency took the matter to a city court after Mr Kejriwal had skipped several summonses related to the investigation.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and ED are investigating the now-scrapped Delhi government excise policy for 2021-22, which is alleged to have benefited certain liquor dealers. The AAP has strongly denied the allegations. Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in the policy after receiving a report from the Delhi government’s chief secretary.
Mr Kejriwal was questioned by the CBI for nine hours in April in connection with the case. AAP leader and former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia was arrested by the CBI in February this year.