Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has skipped the seventh summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) regarding an alleged excise policy scam case on Monday, 26 February despite the ED having previously requested his appearance before the financial probe agency.
“Instead of sending summons every day, ED should await the court's decision. We won't leave the INDIA alliance; the Modi government should stop pressuring us,” the AAP said.
The financial probe agency alleged that Kejriwal intentionally refused to comply with the summons and repeatedly provided "lame excuses."
Earlier, the ED had filed a complaint against Kejriwal for "disobeying" its summons, and the court granted him an exemption from appearing in court until 16 March, citing physical limitations due to the ongoing Delhi Assembly Budget session.
The CBI and ED have alleged money laundering and corrupt practices during the Delhi excise liquor policy's framing, with liquor companies involved for higher profits. AAP leaders Manish Sisodia, Satyendar Jain, and Sanjay Singh are in jail over this alleged case.
1 Year of Manish Sisodia in Jail for Delhi Excise Policy Case
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, AAP MLAs, and ministers visited Rajghat to commemorate one year since the arrest of former Delhi Deputy CM Manish Sisodia.
"The Central Government arrested him in a false case. Today marks the completion of one year since his arrest. In this one year, the government could not present even one piece of evidence in court. This is a false case. After 75 years, Manish Sisodia had brought hopes for quality education and a bright future for the children of the poor. Such a man has been framed in a false case and put behind bars. He is an inspiration for us. Had he joined the BJP, all cases against him would have been withdrawn. But he did not leave the path of truth," Kejriwal was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
AAP cabinet ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj addressed a press conference in the afternoon.
"Exactly one year ago, on February 26, 2023, Aam Aadmi Party leader Manish Sisodia was arrested. First, he was arrested by the CBI and then ED. Today, he's been in jail for a year," said Atishi.
"It's been two years since the investigation into the alleged liquor scam. In two years, the ED and CBI have employed more than 500 officers in this investigation. Even after two years, not even a single rupee recovery was done," added Atishi.
Further, talking about the case, Atishi said, "It's the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), because of which, even after one year, Manish Sisodia hasn't gotten bail. This is one such law under which it's nearly impossible to get bail. This law was made to counter terrorism and drug trafficking. But I want to ask this question: Is this PMLA being used to stop terrorism or drug trafficking? Everyone knows that PMLA is used by the ED to attack opposition parties. It's been used to put the opposition parties in jail without getting bail for them."
"The obvious question is: if the BJP is arresting opposition leaders for corruption, why are the cases always filed under the Money Laundering Act? Why not the Prevention of Corruption Act? Why not the CrPC? It's because one gets bail under these laws," said Bharadwaj.
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