The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday issued fresh summons to Delhi Chief Minister and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal to join investigation in its ongoing probe in Delhi Excise policy case.

This is the fifth summon to the AAP chief in the excise policy case. Earlier, the central agency had issued fourth summons to Kejriwal on January 13, asking him to appear on January 18 for questioning. But the Delhi chief minister had skipped it, calling it “illegal and politically motivated”. He also questioned its timing just months before the Lok Sabha elections.

“The purpose of the BJP is to arrest Arvind Kejriwal and stop him from campaigning in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The ED has written that Arvind Kejriwal is not an accused, then why have the summons been issued?" an Aam Aadmi Party leader had said.

The CM had skipped the previous three summons on November 2, December 22, and on January 3.

Kejriwal and the AAP have objected to the summons, stating that it was not clear whether the CM was asked to appear as a witness or a suspect.

His party colleagues Manish Sisodia and AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh have been in judicial custody in connection with the case.

It is alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP.

The policy was subsequently scrapped and Delhi Lt Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe, following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Source : Hindustan Times