ED summons CM Arvind Kejriwal for questioning in Delhi liquor policy case on Dec 21

Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi and national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been summoned again by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for further questioning related to the Delhi Excise Policy matter. The agency has asked him to appear on December 21, ANI reported.

ED's summons to Kejriwal coincides with his plans to embark on a 10-day Vipassana meditation course. The Aam Aadmi Party national convener is scheduled to begin the course on December 19, a day after the conclusion of the winter session of the Delhi Assembly.

For the unversed, Vipassana is an ancient Indian meditation technique that involves complete abstention from communication, aimed at rejuvenating mental well-being. Kejriwal, a regular practitioner of Vipassana, follows this annual routine, having attended courses in various locations in previous years, including Bengaluru and Jaipur.

The federal agency had previously summoned Kejriwal for interrogation on November 2 in connection with alleged anomalies in the now-cancelled excise scheme. On April 16, this year, Kejriwal was questioned for almost nine hours by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the matter.

Earlier, two prominent AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, find themselves in legal trouble over their alleged involvement in the Delhi liquor scam's money laundering case. Sanjay Singh, a Rajya Sabha representative for the party, was arrested on October 4 following an ED raid on his premises related to the Delhi excise policy money laundering case.

On the other hand, Manish Sisodia, initially arrested by the CBI on February 26 for his purported role in the scam, later faced ED charges and is currently in judicial custody at Tihar Jail. The ED, in a substantial supplementary charge sheet spanning nearly 270 pages with annexures totaling 2,000 pages, identifies Sisodia as a "key conspirator" in the case.

Delhi Liquor Policy Case

The Delhi government rolled out the excise policy on November 17, 2021, only to retract it by the end of September 2022 amidst accusations of corruption. Investigating agencies assert that the policy elevated profit margins for wholesalers from five to 12 percent. Allegations further suggest that the policy fostered cartelisation and favored individuals ineligible for liquor licenses in exchange for financial gains. While authorities maintain that the policy aimed to boost Delhi's revenue share, the AAP-led Delhi government and Manish Sisodia refute any wrongdoing.

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