Delhi excise policy case: ED summons CM Arvind Kejriwal for questioning on November 2

Earlier, in April this year, Kejriwal was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with its case in the excise policy.

After being questioned for nine hours, Kejriwal had said he was asked 56 questions, mostly centred around why the policy was brought in and when it was prepared.

“I believe that this case is completely false… They don’t have even a shred of evidence,” he had said.

The ED summons came on a day the Supreme Court denied bail to Kejriwal’s former deputy, Manish Sisodia in the same case, stating there is “material and evidence” which “tentatively” supports one charge under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

In its prosecution complaint, ED had referred to a statement allegedly recorded by Indospirits owner and an accused in the case, Sameer Mahendru, in which he claimed that Nair told him “the new excise policy was a brainchild of Arvind Kejriwal”.

“…Vijay fixed a meeting with him twice but that could not materialise. So Vijay made Sameer speak to Arvind Kejriwal on Facetime,” the complaint states, citing Mahendru’s statement.

As ED summons Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on November 2 in connection with excise policy case, here’s what senior AAP Leader Saurabh Bhardwaj had to sayhttps://t.co/OGZPPyQ4Zx pic.twitter.com/qd4ghEXcBH

— The Indian Express (@IndianExpress) October 30, 2023

The ED complaint said Kejriwal told Mahendru that “Vijay is his boy and that Sameer should trust him and carry on with him”.

The ED has told the court that Sisodia had used his influence to grant a wholesale licence to Indospirits, despite existing complaints of cartelisation against the firm.

Confirming that Kejriwal had received the summons, the Aam Aadmi Party said the BJP was out to destroy AAP.

“It is very clear that BJP wants to use any and every means to arrest Arvind Kejriwal. The attempt in the liquor policy investigation has been to file a fake case and finish off the Aam Aadmi Party. BJP has got the summons issued to achieve that objective,” said Jasmine Shah, a senior AAP leader.