Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal has received a third summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the money laundering investigation related to exicse policy.The anti-corruption agency has requested that Kejriwal appear before investigators on 3 January for questioning regarding allegations of irregularities in the 2021-22 Delhi excise policy.This marks the third attempt by the ED to secure Kejriwals participation in the probe after he declined to appear on two previous summons dated 2 November and 21 December.Kejriwal, who also serves as the AAPs national convenor, was originally called to testify on 2 November but instead opted to hold an election rally in Madhya Pradesh, citing the summons as too vague, motivated and unsustainable in law.The Delhi chief minister, currently undertaking a Vipassana meditation retreat, similarly dismissed the second notice, telling investigators it contravened legal procedure and should be withdrawn.In both instances, Kejriwal alleged the summonses represented a politically motivated attempt to disrupt his ability to campaign ahead of upcoming state elections.The excise policy probe centres on claims the Kejriwal administrations 2021-22 liquor licence reforms enabled cartelisation that favoured certain dealers who allegedly paid bribes, accusations the AAP has strongly denied.#WATCH | Delhi: AAPs Chief National Spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar says, To whom do they send summon Everybody knows that CM Arvind Kejriwal is in Vipassana at present. He cant indulge in any communication for 10 days...It appears to be a news released by the BJP. Also, what… pic.twitter.com/UZ2ja9mXa4— ANI (@ANI) December 22, 2023The initial chargesheet in the case was submitted by the ED last year. The agency stated that since filing a FIR and taking cognizance of a CBI case that was filed on the lieutenant governor of Delhis recommendation, it has conducted more than 200 search operations in this case.Based on the findings of the report submitted by the Delhi Chief Secretary in July, which indicated prima facie violations of the GNCTD Act of 1991, the Transaction of Business Rules (ToBR) of 1993, the Delhi Excise Act of 2009, and the Delhi Excise Rules of 2010, the CBI investigation was recommended.
