On Monday, the central agency Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the alleged Delhi Excise Policy scam case. The investigating agency has asked Kejriwal to appear for questioning on November 2 in the money laundering case related to the scam.
The summon came on a day when the Supreme Court made a crucial remark on the case in which AAP leader Manish Sisodia was arrested. “ED’s allegation that Rs 100 crore was actually paid by the liquor group to former Delhi Dy CM Manish Sisodia is ‘somewhat a matter of debate’,” said the Supreme Court as quoted by Live Law.
#SupremeCourt says that the ED's allegation that Rs 100 crore was actually paid by the liquor group to former Delhi Dy CM #ManishSisodia is "somewhat a matter of debate". pic.twitter.com/51AyT2fuG6
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) October 30, 2023
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is on an attacking mode over BJP after Arvind Kejriwal got summoned by the ED. AAP Minister Atishi said: BJP is afraid of AAP. Under this conspiracy, ED has now summoned him (Arvind Kejriwal) on 2nd November. ED is conspiring to arrest him by filing a false case. Let me tell BJP, we are not afraid of going to jail. Will continue to work for the common man of India.”
भाजपा को AAP से डर लगता है।
इस साज़िश के तहत अब 2 नवंबर को @ArvindKejriwal को ED ने Summon किया है। झूठा केस लगाकर Arrest करने की साज़िश है ED की।
मैं BJP को बता दूँ, हम Jail जाने से नहीं डरते। भारत के आम आदमी के लिए काम करते रहेंगे।
– @AtishiAAP pic.twitter.com/qCCGlavlcr
— AAP (@AamAadmiParty) October 30, 2023
On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party is questioning Arvind Kejriwal’s role in the alleged scam. BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said that the liquor scam is of Kejriwal, by Kejriwal, for Kejriwal.
“The ‘sharab ghotala’ is a ‘ghotala’ of Kejriwal, by Kejriwal, for Kejriwal. Mr Kejriwal is the mastermind, the kingpin of the ‘sharab ghotala’. There is no doubt left in it any more. Today, law enforcement agencies and all the investigation they have done so far has been vindicated by the Supreme Court,” said Poonawalla, as quoted by ANI.
#WATCH | Delhi: On ED summoning CM Arvind Kejriwal, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla says, "…The 'sharab ghotala' is a 'ghotala' of Kejriwal, by Kejriwal, for Kejriwal. Mr Kejriwal is the mastermind, the kingpin of the 'sharab ghotala'. There is no doubt left in it anymore. Today… pic.twitter.com/19Wz58TvZW
— ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2023
In the same case, CBI had interrogated Arvind Kejriwal in April. Official sources said that 55-year-old Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). ED will record the statement of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after he appears before the investigating officer of the case in Delhi.
ED has mentioned Kejriwal’s name several times in its chargesheet in the case. The ED says the accused were in touch with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader regarding the preparation and implementation of Delhi’s now-repealed Excise Policy, 2021-22.
Three prominent leaders of Aam Aadmi Party are currently in jail in the liquor scam case. Recently, Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was arrested by ED after interrogation. After the arrest of Sanjay Singh, BJP started sharp attacks on Arvind Kejriwal.
Apart from Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, former deputy chief Minister Manish Sisodiya and former Health minister Satyendra Jain are also in the jail in the same case.
It is worth noting that today, i.e., on October 30, the Supreme Court rejected the bail plea of former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is in jail in a case related to the alleged liquor scam. The top court said that based on the investigation so far, the agency has managed to establish the movement of money in the scam.
