Delhi Excise Policy Case Live Updates: AAP cites political conspiracy behind ED summons to Arvind Kejriwal, says oppn leaders being targeted

Delhi chief minister and national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party Arvind Kejriwal, on Thursday, chose to not attend a summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding a money laundering case associated with the excise policy scam case. Instead, he conducted a roadshow in Waidhan. Madhya Pradesh is among the five states slated to conduct elections this year. The Delhi chief minister encouraged the residents of Madhya Pradesh to support his party in the upcoming assembly elections. He mentioned that he couldn't predict whether he would be incarcerated or free when the results were announced.

The BJP on Thursday flayed Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for "running away" from the ED summons in an excise policy-linked case, saying he does not want to face the truth. The BJP's attack came after Kejriwal did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in the case and wrote to the agency demanding withdrawal of the notice summoning him, claiming it was "illegal and politically motivated".

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in a case linked to the now scrapped Delhi excise policy and wrote to the Central agency demanding the "recall" of its summons to him, calling it "vague, motivated and unsustainable in law". The reply of the CM, according to the official sources, is being examined by the ED. Sources also indicated that a fresh date for Kejriwal could be issued for a closer date as the Supreme Court has recently taken note of the prosecution's assurance that the trial in the case will be concluded within the next six-eight months. (PTI)

Delhi BJP leaders staged a dharna near Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at Rajghat on Thursday, demanding Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's resignation over the alleged excise policy scam. Kejriwal skipped questioning by the Enforcement Directorate on the day and went on campaigning in Madhya Pradesh while terming the summons by the agency as "politically motivated" and issued at the behest of the BJP. (PTI)

"The law is doing its work. The ED has summoned him under the law. 2 days ago, the Supreme Court observation regarding Manish Sisodia's bail said that there is a money trail of Rs. 338 crore. Arvind Kejriwal has to answer this because it is not possible that there is a money trail and he is not aware of it... He has to answer this question. He also has to answer why the excise was increased to 12% from 5%... He is playing the victim card that this is vendetta politics... If this is a vendetta, why was Manish Sisodia's bail rejected 6 times... There is not just a scam, but the mastermind and the kingpin is Arvind Kejriwal."

The summon notice is illegal and politically motivated. The notice was sent at the behest of the BJP. Notice was sent to ensure that I am unable to go for election campaigning in four states. ED should withdraw the notice immediately.

Sources admitted that the possibility of Kejriwal’s arrest had left the party restive with no senior functionary currently in sight who can take control of the party and the government, especially when the Lok Sabha elections, which are crucial for AAP’s expansion, are just six months away.

The Enforcement Directorate’s summons to chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday to face questions in the alleged liquor policy scandal has left the Aam Aadmi Party worried. With two prominent functionaries — former deputy CM and virtually the No. 2 in the party Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh — already in jail in the same case, there are intense internal discussions under way on how to deal with the crisis. Senior party functionaries said that while the CM was deliberating the issue with legal teams, others have held separate meetings and discussions on the possible fallout of Kejriwal being taken into ED custody.

The AAP government, however, has termed the case as “fake” and maintained that the party and its leaders were “staunchly honest”. With the complaints of brand-pushing of alcohol, pilferage and a stagnant revenue stream, Delhi government deci ded to revamp the liquor business in the capital in 2020-21 and a new excise policy was made with inputs from all stakeholders. The main features of the new policy included the govern ment's withdrawal from the retail business, allowing private players to offer discounts on liquor, reduction in the number of dry days to just three and allowing the shops to come up in non-conforming areas. “Following complaints of irregularities, the chief secretary, being the chief vigilance officer of Delhi, conducted an inquiry and prima facie found some irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the policy,” said a government official. “The report noted that the profit margin of the wholesalers had been increased from 5% to 12%, indicating a quid pro quo, waiver of Rs. 144.36 crore to the liquor cartel on the tendered license fee on the ground that Covid-19 pandemic caused business disruption and return of earnest money of Rs 30 crore to the lowest bidder for the Airport Zone licence, among others.”

In the last 15 months since the Central Bureau of Investigation registered a case against 15 persons, two AAP heavyweights — the then deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh along with its former media and communication in charge Vijay Nair have been arrested, while several other bureaucrats and close aides of the Aam Aadmi Party functionaries have been called for questioning by the investigating agencies. It was in July 2022 that lieutenant governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI investigation into the formulation of the excise policy of 2021-22 after chief secretary Naresh Kumar in a report alleged “prima facie violations of various acts and rules” in addition to “deliberate and gross procedural lapses” to provide “undue benefits” to liquor licensees. The policy was made on the recommendations of a group of ministers and was approved by the council of ministers and the then LG Anil Baijal before it came into effect on November 17, 2021.

The probe into alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the Delhi Excise Policy of 2021-22 has brought the Enforcement Directorate to the doorstep of chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. The CM is likely to appear before the ED at its headquarters at 11am on Thursday. It took the probe agency just two weeks after it told the Supreme Court that it was contemplating making the Aam Aadmi Party an accused in the excise policy case and summoning the party’s national convener and the chief minister of Delhi to appear before it in connection with the ongoing probe into the liquor policy irregularities. He was questioned for nearly nine hours by CBI in April.