New Delhi:
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to skip a summons from the Enforcement Directorate for the second time in connection with the liquor policy case, sources told NDTV on Wednesday. Mr Kejriwal was scheduled to leave yesterday but postponed his plans to attend the INDIA opposition bloc meeting.
Mr Kejriwal, who was summoned on Thursday to join the agency's probe, has left for a 10-day meditation retreat to an undisclosed location, the same sources said. The Aam Aadmi Party leader was first summoned on November 2, but he turned down the call and opted to campaign for the elections in Madhya Pradesh.
Amid furious speculation that he might be arrested that day (speculation that still continues), Mr Kejriwal called the summons “illegal” and “politically motivated” and demanded that it be withdrawn.
Mr. Kejriwal can only skip a summons three times before facing a non-bailable arrest warrant.
NDTV explains | Investigating agency's options after Arvind Kejriwal skips summons
In April, Mr. Kejriwal was questioned as a witness by the Central Bureau of Investigation for nine hours, after which he targeted the agency. “The CBI has asked me 56 questions (but) everything is fake. I am convinced they have nothing with us… not a single piece of evidence,” he stated.
READ | “CBI asked 56 questions…”: Arvind Kejriwal after 9 hours of interrogation
The new summons to Mr Kejriwal will also renew rumors that his party is being blamed in the case, which would be an unprecedented first in Indian politics. The Supreme Court asked this question to the Enforcement Directorate in October: “Why is the political party still not accused?”
READ | “Want to clarify…”: Supreme Court on the question of “making AAP a suspect”.
Sources had then told NDTV that there was a money trail leading to the AAP's poll campaigns.
The Delhi liquor case refers to allegations that the AAP government's 2022 revamped alcohol sales policy for the national capital enabled it to receive millions of rupees as kickbacks from cartels, and that these funds were used to cover the party's election expenses in Goa and finance other states. .
Specifically, both the ED and CBI have alleged that the policy enabled cartelization and favored certain dealers, who paid bribes for liquor sales licenses.
NDTV explains | What is a liquor policy case in Delhi related to Arvind Kejriwal's party?
The AAP has strongly refuted all allegations. The Delhi government reported a 27 percent increase in revenue from the policy, generating Rs 8,900 crore in revenue.
Mr Kejriwal's former deputy Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh have both been arrested in connection with the case. Mr Sisodia was arrested in February and Mr Singh in October.
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