ED Summons Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal

Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned for Delhi liquor policy case! However, the Delhi CM has decided to skip the ED summons for his questioning in the Delhi liquor policy case. He will instead campaign in Madhya Pradesh ahead of the Assembly polls. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal WILL NOT appear before the Enforcement Directorate to give his statements in the Delhi liquor policy case.

What is the Delhi Liquor Policy case? Why Kejriwal was summoned?

Arvind Kejriwal was summoned by the ED in connection with the money laundering linked to the Delhi liquor policy case. In this case, senior AAP minister Manish Sisodia was also arrested.

The Delhi government brought in a new policy for liquor sellers in the national capital in November 2021. The Kejriwal Government stopped government outlets from selling liquor and allowed private parties to apply for licenses to run stores. This is for the new policy. The new policy allowed liquor stores to stay open even after midnight and sellers to give any discounts with no limit. The Kejriwal government said the policy would help stop black marketing, increase the Delhi government’s revenue, and benefit customers.

But Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar in July 2022 alleged he found many rule violations in the new liquor policy. Mr Kumar alleged the Kejriwal government’s liquor policy gave “undue benefits” to sellers. Chief Secretary also pointed out a Rs 144 crore rebate in liquor license fees during the Covid pandemic. Following this report, Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena asked the  CBI to look into the matter.

Arvind Kejriwal is the fifth AAP leader who has been summoned in a legal controversy after Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, Sanjay Singh, and Raaj Kumar Anand. However, Kejriwal was not named as an accused in the first information report (FIR) filed by the CBI on August 17, last year.

Arvind Kejriwal is not going to present for the summon?!

“The summon notice is illegal and politically motivated. The notice was sent at the behest of the BJP. Notice was sent to ensure that I am unable to go for election campaigning in four states. ED should withdraw the notice immediately,” Arvind Kejriwal said.

He also said that the ED notice was “politically motivated” to stop him from campaigning in the upcoming elections. Kejriwal also alleged that the notice was sent to him at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).