 "Arvind Kejriwal")
The Rouse Avenue Court of Delhi has taken serious note of the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) complaint against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and has summoned him for a hearing on February 17, 2024. This move comes in response to Kejriwal's repeated non-compliance with summons issued by the central probe agency regarding the Delhi liquor policy money laundering case.
The ED initiated legal action against Kejriwal after he failed to appear for the fifth consecutive summons on February 2. The complaint was lodged before Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra, who has scheduled a verdict announcement for 4 pm on Wednesday.
Kejriwal has defended his non-appearance, labelling the summons as "illegal", and accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of orchestrating a ploy to destabilise the Delhi government by seeking his arrest.
The chief minister's history of evading ED summons dates back to November 2, when he first dismissed the notice as "vague and motivated." Subsequent summons on December 21 and multiple occasions in 2024 were met with similar responses, with Kejriwal opting for political rallies and a meditation retreat instead of complying with the investigative procedures.
What is the Delhi excise policy case?
The ED case pertains to the Delhi excise policy implemented during 2021-22, aimed at rejuvenating the city's liquor trade by transitioning from a sales-volume-based model to a license fee structure. However, the policy was scrapped following allegations of irregularities raised by Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, leading to a CBI inquiry.
According to the Central Bureau Of Investigation's (CBI) chargesheet, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) purportedly received kickbacks amounting to Rs 100 crore in exchange for finalising the policy, with a significant portion allegedly diverted towards funding the party's election campaign in Goa. The investigation also implicates a group known as the 'South Group' in the alleged malpractice.
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The ED probe has already resulted in the arrest of prominent AAP figures, including former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, who have been in custody since last year pending further legal proceedings.
(With agency inputs)
