
Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor, Arvind Kejriwal, remained absent for the sixth summon issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the excise policy-linked money laundering case. Despite his absence, Kejriwal assured that he is cooperating with the probe agency and urged them to await the court’s judgment before issuing any further summons.
Kejriwal told reporters that they were providing replies in accordance with the law and mentioned that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had filed a case. He suggested that the ED should wait for the court’s judgment before issuing any further summons, emphasizing the importance of adhering to legal procedures.
However, ED sources disclosed intentions to issue fresh summons to the AAP supremo. The agency has lodged a complaint under section 174 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Kejriwal for purportedly intentionally disobeying the initial three summonses. A local court has prima facie found Kejriwal guilty of “disobeying” the prior notices issued to him in the excise policy case, prompting the seventh summon.
Last week, a Delhi court granted Kejriwal exemption from appearing for the day regarding the ED’s complaint for disobeying its summonses. The matter was adjourned to March 16, with Kejriwal’s counsel assuring the court of his physical presence on that day.
Kejriwal’s name has recurrently surfaced in charge sheets filed by the ED in the case, with the agency alleging communication between the accused and Kejriwal regarding the formulation of the now-abolished Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.
Notably, AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, alongside the party’s communications in-charge, Vijay Nair, have been apprehended by the ED in connection with this case.
The ED contends that the Delhi government’s excise policy facilitated cartelization and favored specific dealers purportedly involved in bribery, a claim vehemently refuted by AAP.
Meanwhile, Kejriwal raised concerns about a “serious constitutional crisis” in Delhi, attributing it to alleged “threats and pressure” from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on officers.
He highlighted allegations by officers that they faced intimidation to obstruct the one-time settlement scheme for rectifying water bills, purportedly due to pressure from the BJP. Kejriwal asserted that this situation led to officers’ reluctance to bring proposals to the Cabinet, urging Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena to intervene and facilitate the clearance of the scheme, which he claimed would benefit 10.5 lakh families.
As the legal battle ensues and political tensions escalate, Kejriwal’s absence from the ED summons and his calls for judicial scrutiny underscore the complexity and gravity of the ongoing legal proceedings surrounding the Delhi excise policy case.