ED Issues 6th Summons to Arvind Kejriwal in Liquor Policy Case

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned for the sixth time by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding the liquor excise policy case. He has been asked to appear on February 19 for questioning. Kejriwal has previously skipped five summons, prompting a legal battle with the probe agency and the possibility of becoming the first sitting chief minister to face arrest.

The latest summons from the ED, which is investigating money laundering charges, follows a court directive last week for Kejriwal to explain his absence from earlier summons. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has welcomed the court order, asserting that they will argue the illegality of the summons.

Kejriwal has justified his non-attendance citing reasons such as election campaigning in Madhya Pradesh and the alleged illegality of the ED’s notices. While Kejriwal himself is not an accused, two senior AAP members, including ex-Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, have been arrested in connection with the case.

The allegations revolve around claims that the AAP government’s alcohol sales policy facilitated kickbacks from cartels, allegedly used to fund electoral expenses in Goa and other states. Both the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) have accused the policy of favouring certain dealers through cartelization and bribery for liquor licenses.

The AAP has vehemently denied these allegations, pointing to a reported increase in income and revenue generated by the policy. They have also accused the BJP of manipulating investigative agencies to target their party.