'Illegal, politically motivated': Kejriwal demands withdrawal of ED notice summoning him in Delhi liquor 'scam'

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said that ED notice summoning him for questioning in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam was illegal and that it was sent at the behest of the BJP.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal responds to ED, “The summon notice is illegal and politically motivated. The notice was sent at the behest of the BJP. Notice was sent to ensure that I am unable to go for election campaigning in four states. ED should withdraw the notice immediately.”… https://t.co/QlLIu4AUx1 pic.twitter.com/XCnUMLlgHe

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2023

The ED has summoned Kejriwal today and will record his statement once he deposes at the probe agency’s Delhi office at 11 am.

The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has remained tight-lipped about whether the chief minister will appear before the ED or not.

The Delhi Chief Minister’s Office said that in reply to the ED notice, Kejriwal has termed it as “illegal and politically motivated” and aimed at preventing him from campaigning in the poll-bound states.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal responds to ED, “…Being the National Convener and a star campaigner of the AAP, I am required to travel for campaigning and to provide political guidance to my field workers of AAP. As the CM of Delhi, I have governance and official commitments for… pic.twitter.com/piPS5D5kMB

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2023

“…Being the National Convener and a star campaigner of the AAP, I am required to travel for campaigning and to provide political guidance to my field workers of AAP. As the CM of Delhi, I have governance and official commitments for which my presence is required, particularly in view of Diwali coming up…Please recall the said summons, which is to say the least is vague and motivated and unsustainable in law,” Kejriwal wrote.

Meanwhile, a large number of personnel have been deployed in the central part of Delhi as part of the police’s security arrangements to prevent AAP workers from gathering around the ED office.

#WATCH | Heavy security deployment outside the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Delhi.

ED has summoned Delhi CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal to appear before them today in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. pic.twitter.com/Y274YjVy6o

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2023

In anticipation of protests by the AAP workers, multiple layers of barricades have been put up at the ED office on the Tughlaq Road. A large number of police and paramilitary personnel have also been deployed, an official said.

Police personnel have also been deployed on roads leading to the BJP office at DDU Marg in Central Delhi. Barricades have also been erected near the AAP office in the ITO area.

Central Delhi witnessed minor traffic jams near the ITO, Vikas Marg and India Gate because of the security arrangements.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate are probing the Delhi government’s now-scrapped excise policy for 2021-22 that allegedly favoured certain liquor dealers, an allegation that the AAP has strongly denied.

Based on a report of the chief secretary of the Delhi government, Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a CBI probe in July last year into alleged irregularities in the formulation and implementation of the policy.

The report cited various alleged irregularities including a waiver of Rs 144 crore to the retail licensees under the policy in the name of COVID-19-impacted sales and a refund of Rs 30 crore to a successful bidder for the airport zone who failed to obtain a no objection certificate for opening liquor stores there, officials said.

Another allegation was that the commission of wholesale licensees was raised from five per cent to 12 per cent in an instance of “quid pro quo”, they added.

With inputs from agencies