The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is reportedly considering issuing a seventh summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for questioning in the ongoing excise policy case.
This development follows a local court ruling finding Kejriwal "prima facie guilty" of disobeying previous summonses.
Kejriwal has refused to appear before the ED for questioning six times already, prompting the agency to file a complaint under Section 174 of the Indian Penal Code for "intentionally disobeying" summonses.
While the court acknowledged a potential offense, it adjourned the matter until March 16, awaiting Kejriwal's physical appearance.
Despite the upcoming court date, ED sources claim their latest summons are justified, arguing that the court is adjudicating the legality of previous summonses, not their ability to issue new ones.
The agency's investigation alleges that Kejriwal was involved in the formulation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22, which supposedly enabled cartelisation and favored specific liquor traders.
They claim to have evidence of AAP using "proceeds of crime" from this policy in their Goa election campaign.
The ED reportedly plans to file a supplementary charge sheet naming the AAP as a "beneficiary" of alleged kickbacks generated through the policy.
The AAP meanwhile, maintains their 'innocence', reiterating that the excise policy was scrapped after irregularities were found and denying any wrongdoing while Kejriwal accused the central government of using the ED as a "political tool" to target their party.
Follow us
