New Delhi: The BJP on Wednesday said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should appear before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in the Delhi excise policy-related money laundering case as he holds a constitutional post. However, it remains to be seen if the AAP will once again announce a travel plan of the chief minister for the date of questioning, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a fresh and the fifth summons to Kejriwal for questioning in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case, according to official sources. While it is understood that the fresh summons was for February 2, an official confirmation was awaited. Kejriwal, also the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), had skipped four earlier summonses issued by the federal agency over the last four months.
"Our advice to Kejriwal is that he should appear for questioning before the ED," Sachdeva told PTI-Video, adding that the chief minister holds a constitutional position. "However, we are watching whether or not they (AAP) come up with a travel plan of CM Kejriwal for the date when he is scheduled to be questioned by the ED, as has happened earlier," he said.
Earlier, AAP's chief national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said the party's legal team is studying the ED summons and will decide what to do as per law. It is alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP. The policy was scrapped after Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The then Delhi deputy chief minister and excise department incharge Manish Sisodia was arrested by the CBI in connection with alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the policy on February 26 last year. Kejriwal was questioned by the CBI in connection with the case in April 2023.
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