Arvind Kejriwal skips ED summons in Delhi Jal Board money laundering case

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party convener Arvind Kejriwal did not appear before the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Monday, skipping the summons related to the money laundering investigation concerning the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).

The ED issued another summons to Kejriwal under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act related to the DJB case. This follows the arrest of a retired chief engineer and a contractor in connection with alleged irregularities in the tendering process of the DJB.

There are two separate investigations being conducted by the ED regarding irregularities in the DJB tendering process. One stems from an FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging favoritism in awarding tenders to a particular company.

The other investigation is based on a complaint from the Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) of the Delhi government regarding irregularities in awarding tenders for setting up bill payment collection machines.

In addition to the DJB case, Kejriwal has also been issued summons in connection with irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 case. Despite multiple summons, Kejriwal has not appeared before the ED, citing them as “illegal and politically motivated.”

Kejriwal recently appeared before the court in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case and was granted bail. However, the court has directed him to respond to the ED’s summons and comply with the law.

The ED wants to record Kejriwal’s statement regarding various aspects of the cases, including the formulation of policies, meetings held, and allegations of bribery.