Arvind Kejriwal skips 3rd summons in Delhi liquor policy case
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has chosen not to appear for questioning in the alleged liquor policy case on Wednesday. "Ready to cooperate in ED investigation but the agency's notice is illegal. Their intention is to arrest Kejriwal. They want to stop him from election campaign," the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said. This marks the third time the AAP leader has declined to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED), having previously ignored two summonses on November 2 and December 21.
Why does this story matter?
The ED alleged that Kejriwal conspired with individuals engaged in the alleged liquor policy scam, which is also being investigated independently by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). On the other side, the AAP launched a campaign on December 1 to gauge public opinion on whether Kejriwal should govern from jail or resign if arrested. The existing laws allow a person to skip summonses three times before the investigation agency can obtain a non-bailable warrant against them.
AAP says Kejriwal will skip ED summons today
AAP alleges political motive behind summons
The AAP maintains that Kejriwal is open to cooperating with the ED but suspects that the summons was issued with the purpose of arresting him. The party questions the timing of the notice, asking, "Why has the notice been sent right before elections? The notice is an attempt to stop Kejriwal from campaigning in elections." In April, Kejriwal was questioned by the CBI about this case but was not named as an accused by the agency.
Other AAP leaders arrested in connection with case
Ever since the first ED summons, there has been widespread speculation that Delhi's chief minister would be arrested following his questioning. Several AAP leaders have also made statements echoing this sentiment. In February, former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia was arrested in connection with the case, while AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was taken into custody in October. The ongoing investigation and arrests have sparked concerns among AAP supporters and leaders.
Here's everything about Delhi Liquor Policy Scam
The Delhi government introduced a revised liquor excise policy on November 17, 2021, but it was nixed less than a year later due to widespread corruption allegations. Central investigation agencies claimed that wholesalers' profit margins were arbitrarily increased from five to 12%. They also alleged that the policy led to cartelization and favored those ineligible for liquor licenses for financial gain. However, the AAP-led Delhi government denied the allegations, adding that the policy would have increased revenue.
