New Delhi: A Delhi court has summoned Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on 17 February after the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief skipped five notices by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to appear before it in the excise policy case.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra of the Rouse Avenue Court Wednesday took cognizance of the central probe agency’s complaint that Kejriwal had not complied with its notices.
Kejriwal did not appear before the ED last Friday — which was its fifth date to him for questioning — prompting the agency to approach court.
The chief minister has repeatedly not appeared before ED for interrogation in the alleged money laundering case linked to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy. He has been called five times in the last four months.
The party has termed the summons “illegal”, saying the repeated summons meant the probe agency wanted to arrest him.
The AAP has also alleged that the BJP wants to topple its government in Delhi by putting Kejriwal behind bars.
Kejriwal first skipped a summon on 2 November last year, then on 21 December, on 3 and 18 January and 2 February this year.
It is alleged 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 — a charge repeatedly denied by the AAP.
The policy was subsequently scrapped and Delhi Lt Governor V.K. Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manoj Sisodia and AAP MP Sanjay Singh are in jail in the alleged money laundering case.
Did the Delhi court know that no proofs in the Delhi Liquor alleged scam are provided by ED and CBI yet. But still money laundering cases were filed against the AAP leaders and they are held in custody. Did the judge consider that?