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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal failed to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the sixth summon too on Monday, at a time when a Special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court here has taken cognisance of a complaint filed by the agency seeking a direction to the AAP convenor to join excise case probe.
The ED is also looking at the prospects of sending Kejriwal another summon since the AAP convenor continues to hold charges that the agency’s move is illegal and aimed at arresting him ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Kejriwal skipped the ED’s summons, issued on February 2, for the fifth time in case.
AAP sources stated the agency should wait for the Special PMLA Court’s verdict on their complaint under Section 174 of the Indian Penal Code and other relevant laws rather than sending a summons to him. The Delhi CM will not appear before the investigators for examination unless the court decides on the matter, AAP sources pointed out.
The ED sources, however, stated that the court here has taken cognisance of their complaint on knowingly disobeying three summons for appearing in the Delhi excise money laundering case in which former Delhi CM Manish Sisodia, AAP MP Sanjay Singh and others have been accused of tweaking liquor policy to favour businessmen.
On February 17, the CM virtually appeared before the Rouse Avenue Court’s Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra to present his version of the ED’s complaint on non-compliance with its summons. Joining through video conferencing, Kejriwal told the court that he was unable to present himself physically due to the confidence motion and budget sessions. The ACMM exempted the CM, but directed him to appear physically before the court on March 16.
Kejriwal’s name has cropped more than once in charge sheets filed by the ED in the case owing to which the agency wants to question him on the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22. The ED wanted to record Kejriwal’s statement over formulation of excise policy, meetings in the run-up to finalisation of the policy draft, and allegations of bribery.
The ED in its earlier chargesheet had alleged that the AAP used kickbacks worth ₹45 crore to fund assembly elections in Goa in 2022.
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