Excise Case: ED Moves Court Against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal For Skipping Summons

The trouble for Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is mouting in the alleged Delhi excise scam case. The Enforcement Directorate today moved to Rouse Avenue Court and filed a fresh complaint against Arvind Kejriwal for not complying with the summons issued by the probe agency in the Delhi liquor policy money laundering case. ED today filed a fresh complaint case under Section 190 (1)(a) Cr.P.C. r/w. Section 200 Cr.P.C., 1973 r/w. Section 174 IPC, 1860 r/w. Section 63 (4) of PMLA, 2002 for non-attendance in compliance with Section 50, PMLA, 2002.

The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Divya Malhotra, after hearing the submissions on Saturday, fixed February 7 for the remaining submissions and consideration of the fresh complaint filed by the agency. 

Delhi CM Kejriwal skipped the Enforcement Directorate's fifth summons on February 2 in connection with the money laundering probe related to irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22 case. The fresh summons to the Delhi CM followed the fourth summons, which he had skipped on January 18. While skipping the fifth summons, the party called it 'unlawful'. Kejriwal has so far skipped four previous summons issued by the ED on January 18, January 3, November 2, and December 22. 

As per the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the agency aims to take a statement from Kejriwal regarding aspects such as the policy formulation, pre-finalization meetings, and allegations of bribery in the case. In their sixth charge sheet submitted on December 2, 2023, the ED implicated AAP leader Sanjay Singh and his associate Sarvesh Mishra. The ED alleges that the AAP utilized kickbacks amounting to Rs 45 crore, generated through the policy, as a part of its election campaign during the assembly elections in Goa in 2022.

The excise policy was aimed at revitalizing the city's flagging liquor business and replacing a sales-volume-based regime with a licence fee for traders. It promised swankier stores and a better buying experience. The policy introduced discounts and offers on the purchase of liquor for the first time in Delhi.