Arvind Kejriwal summoned by Delhi court on Feb 17 after probe agency’s petition

mangaloretoday.com

New Delhi, Feb 07, 2024: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned by a district court on February 17 after Enforcement Directorate’s petition against him in the alleged illegal liquor scam case.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Divya Malhotra took cognisance of the matter and issued summons to him to appear before the court.

 

The ED had filed a complaint against the Chief Minister in Rouse Avenue Court on February 3 after he skipped five summons by the probe agency in the alleged illegal liquor scam case.

The complaint was filed under Section 174 of the IPC for non-attendance in obedience to an order from a public servant and Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act for non-compliance with summons issued by the ED.

Reacting to the court’s summons, AAP leader Jasmine Shah said, "We are studying the court order and will take action as per the law. We will inform the court how all Enforcement Directorate summons were illegal."

BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla told news agency ANI, "...Today, Arvind Kejriwal, there is no escaping the law. On moral grounds, you should resign because you have changed your commitment towards your fight against corruption..."

Kejriwal skipped five summons by the probe agency, calling them "illegal attempts" to arrest him. He claimed that the summons were aimed at preventing him from campaigning in elections.

He had skipped ED summonses for November 2 and December 21 in 2023 and January 3, January 18, and February 2.

According to the probe agency, 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. The policy was scrapped and Lieutenant Governor of Delhi VK Saxena, who had recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation probe, following which the ED had registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Courtesy: India Today