Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Doesn’t Appear for ED Questioning, Requests Recall of Summons

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was notably absent during his scheduled questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the excise policy-linked money laundering case. Instead, Kejriwal sent a two-page letter to the agency, in which he requested the “recall” of the summons, deeming them “vague, motivated, and unsustainable in law.” The ED is currently examining Kejriwal’s response.
It’s expected that the ED will issue fresh summons to Kejriwal for questioning on a closer date. The Supreme Court has recently taken note of the prosecution’s assurance that the trial in the case will be concluded within the next 6-8 months. Kejriwal’s party colleagues, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are currently in judicial custody in connection with this case.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has alleged that Kejriwal’s summons is part of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) plan to target top Indian National Democratic Alliance (INDIA) leaders ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The AAP views these ED summons as an attempt to undermine the party, which holds power in Delhi and Punjab.
The case revolves around the alleged misconduct in the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22. It was claimed that this policy facilitated cartelization among liquor traders and favored select dealers who purportedly paid bribes. The AAP has consistently refuted these allegations. Subsequently, the policy was scrapped, and a CBI probe was recommended by the Delhi Lieutenant Governor, leading to the ED registering a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
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