The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a fresh summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, instructing him to appear before it on February 26 for questioning in the excise policy-linked money laundering case. This marks the seventh summons under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Dismissing Kejriwal’s argument that a new notice was improper due to the case being sub judice, the ED remains steadfast in its pursuit of his appearance on February 26 for a statement.
Earlier, Kejriwal had received six summonses, starting on November 2, 2023, when he cited other engagements. Subsequent summonses were skipped, asserting their illegality and political motivation.
Recently, the ED filed a fresh complaint against Kejriwal for defying summons, and a court scheduled further hearings for March 16, exempting him from personal appearance last week. The court’s concern is Kejriwal’s alleged intentional disobedience of summonses. His involvement has been noted in ED charge sheets. AAP leaders Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, along with communications in-charge Vijay Nair, have been arrested.
The ED may submit a fresh supplementary charge sheet, potentially identifying AAP as a “beneficiary” of alleged kickbacks from the excise policy. The excise policy, facilitating cartelization and favoring certain dealers, led to allegations of bribery. The AAP denies the claims, and the policy’s revocation led to a CBI investigation under the PMLA.