The Aam Aadmi Party launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summoned Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on November 2 for questioning in connection with the agency’s ongoing probe into the alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Delhi excise policy 2021-22.
The party said it that the summons establish the “fact that the central government wants to crush the AAP, and arrest Kejriwal”.
“The Centre’s ED has sent a summon to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. This makes it clear that the central government has only one purpose — that is to crush the AAP. They are leaving no stone unturned to achieve this purpose. They are fabricating cases to arrest Arvind Kejriwal and crush the AAP,” Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj said.
This is the second time that the Delhi chief minister has been called for questioning in the case. Kejriwal was summoned for questioning by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on April 16. While CBI is investigating alleged irregularities in the implementation of the excise policy, ED’s investigation is focussed on money laundering charges in the same case.
The CM office confirmed in a statement that Kejriwal has been called for questioning. “ED has served a notice to CM Arvind Kejriwal and summoned him for questioning on November 2,” the statement said.
Delhi minister Atishi said the BJP is scared of the work being done by the AAP governments in Delhi and Punjab. She said the AAP leaders will not bow down to any pressure and will continue to work for the people of the country.
“The BJP is scared of the AAP and the good work being done in Delhi and Punjab. This is why the BJP wants to fabricate false cases to put AAP leaders in jail, and crush the party. As part of this conspiracy, ED has summoned Kejriwal. The BJP wants to arrest him (Kejriwal) in a false case. We want to tell the BJP that we are not scared of false cases and going to jail. We will continue to work for the people of the country,” Atishi said.
The summons came on the day when the Supreme Court denied bail to former deputy CM Manish Sisodia in corruption and money laundering cases linked to the alleged Delhi excise scam.
“We have dealt with certain aspects of the case which are doubtful. But one aspect, with regard to transfer of money of ₹338 crore, is tentatively established. Therefore, we have dismissed the bail application,” the SC bench observed orally in open court.
The bail dismissal came as a major setback for Sisodia who has been in jail since February this year after the Central Bureau of Investigation arrested him in a case related to the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy.
Apart from Sisodia, AAP MP Sanjay Singh has also been arrested in the excise case.
Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva said the ED summons to Arvind Kejriwal makes it clear that it was time for the Delhi CM to be sent to jail in the excise policy case. “The truth has prevailed, and soon Delhi will get freedom from the corrupt regime as Kejriwal is likely to join Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh in jail. The Delhi BJP has been working hard to expose Kejriwal in the multi-crore excise scam. When the Supreme Court rejected Manish Sisodia’s bail, it vindicated BJP’s allegations of liquor scam. The ED summons to Kejriwal is the final step to end the corruption saga,” said Sachdeva.
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