Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal Summonsed by ED in Money Laundering Probe

While the ED has previously asserted that bribes from the excise policy funded the Goa assembly elections campaign

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X: @the_news_21

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has once again summoned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, requesting his appearance on January 18 for questioning in connection with an ongoing money laundering probe related to irregularities in the Delhi excise policy for 2021-22, according to sources familiar with the matter.

This development comes after Kejriwal chose to skip the ED’s third summons last week, deeming it “illegal” in his response. The chief minister expressed his willingness to cooperate but alleged that the agency’s true intention was to arrest him and hinder his election campaigning efforts.

The ED aims to inquire into Kejriwal’s involvement in the formulation of the excise policy, pre-finalization meetings, and allegations of bribery. The chief minister had previously ignored two summons, on November 2 and December 22, terming them as “illegal and politically motivated.”

In the ED’s sixth charge sheet filed on December 2, 2023, the agency named Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh and his aide Sarvesh Mishra. According to the charge sheet, the AAP allegedly utilized kickbacks amounting to ₹45 crore, generated through the excise policy, for its campaign in the Goa assembly elections in 2022.

While the ED has previously asserted that bribes from the excise policy funded the Goa assembly elections campaign, this is the first time specific amounts have been mentioned, designating the AAP as a direct beneficiary. The findings are anticipated to play a role when the ED includes the party in its upcoming charge sheet.

The ED alleges that a total of ₹100 crore in bribes were paid to AAP leaders in connection with the excise policy. The December 2 charge sheet further contends that some AAP leaders personally benefited from the proceeds of crime. Notably, bribes linked to incarcerated AAP leader and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, amounting to ₹2.2 crore, along with ₹1.5 crore to former AAP communications in-charge Vijay Nair, and ₹2 crore in cash to Sanjay Singh— all allegedly paid by businessman Dinesh Arora—were highlighted in the charge sheet.

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