ED summons AAP’s Goa Chief Amit Palekar in Delhi Liquor Policy case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Amit Palekar, the president of Aam Aadmi Party Goa, along with others, in relation to the Delhi Liquor Policy case on Wednesday.

In addition to the AAP Goa chief, Ramarao Wagh, Datta Prasad Naik, and the president of Bhandari Samaj – Ashok Naik, have also received summons, requiring their presence for investigation tomorrow.

However, sources from AAP have claimed that the ED is spreading lies.

“ED is spreading lies. Dutt Prasad Naik and Ashok Naik are not AAP leaders, but BJP leaders. ED has become a joke today. This is only a political weapon of the BJP,” AAP sources said.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Delhi High Court served a notice to the ED regarding a petition filed by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal contesting his arrest and challenging the remand granted by the trial court, with no immediate relief granted.

The court, scheduling the matter for April 3, clarified that any release order from custody would essentially constitute granting bail or interim bail to the accused/petitioner, Arvind Kejriwal, as an interim measure. It emphasized that the writ jurisdiction under Article 226 of the Constitution of India is not typically a direct substitute for seeking bail under Section 439 of the Cr.P.C.

The Delhi High Court is also set to hear a public interest litigation (PIL) on Thursday, seeking the removal of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from his position as chief minister of the government of NCT of Delhi.

The bench comprising Justice Manmohan and Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora is slated to hear the matter on Thursday.

Kejriwal was arrested by the ED on March 21 in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case, which is linked to a money laundering investigation. He was remanded to the ED till March 28 the following day. The case revolves around purported irregularities and money laundering in the formulation and execution of the Delhi excise policy in 2022, which was subsequently annulled.