Arvind Kejriwal, the current Chief Minister of Delhi and member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has addressed the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) most recent summons, pertaining to an investigatory probe into alleged misconduct in the Delhi excise policy for the fiscal year 2021-22. In his response, Kejriwal has agreed to comply with questioning but asserts that a date after March 12 would be suitable, contradicting the probe agency’s wish for a physical questioning and proposing a video conferencing option.
The backstory involves the ED’s consistent efforts to interrogate Kejriwal, which began with their first summons back in November of the previous year. Despite Kejriwal having dismissed all past summonses on the grounds of legal inadequacy and potential political bias, he continues to proclaim their illegality. The situation is further complicated by a legal stipulation necessitating Kejriwal’s direct court appearance on March 16, in relation to the same case. Two senior leaders from Kejriwal’s party, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, are currently detained under similar charges connected to the case. In the midst of it all, the AAP has taken a defensive stance, urging the ED to cease their summonses and await the resolution of ongoing court proceedings.
At the core of this controversy is the Delhi excise policy, which was conceived as a dynamic reform aimed at revamping the capital city’s liquor trade through a modern retail experience, inclusive of promotions and discounts. However, it was overridden due to allegations of corruption, leading to the cancellation of the policy. The AAP has pointed fingers at Anil Baijal, the predecessor of current Lieutenant Governor, Vinai Kumar Saxena, for last-minute policy changes that led to insufficient revenue outcomes. The ED has, as a result, charged AAP leaders for allegedly utilizing ill-gained funds from the policy to finance their political campaign in Goa’s assembly elections.