Arvind Kejriwal, the Chief Minister of Delhi, has been summoned a seventh time by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to appear for questioning on February 26 related to the Delhi liquor excise policy case. Despite six prior summons, which he did not attend due to various reasons and critical engagements, Kejriwal insists on his readiness to cooperate while questioning the timing of these calls. His political party, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has declared the summons as ‘illegal’ and suggested that the issue is already under the scrutiny of the court. The AAP regards the ED’s persistence as being driven by political motives, with accusations that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is attempting to arrest Kejriwal to destabilize the Delhi government.
The allegations involve the AAP government’s revised alcohol sales policy that allowed kickbacks from cartels, purportedly channeled into financing the party’s campaign expenses in states like Goa. While Kejriwal himself has not been charged, two top AAP leaders, Manish Sisodia, former Delhi Deputy Chief Minister, and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh, have been taken into custody. The ED’s investigation emerged from accusations that up to ₹100 crore in kickbacks were paid to AAP leaders as part of the excise policy which is described in ED’s charge sheets as being Kejriwal’s ‘brainchild’. This policy, which was intended to modernize Delhi’s liquor sector, was subsequently scrapped following the Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena’s order for an inquiry into its alleged discrepancies, reigniting a spat between the AAP and Saxena’s predecessor, Anil Baijal.
With the issuance of fresh summons, the financial crimes probe agency signals its determination in probing the matter further. The ED claims that substantial funds allegedly received as kickbacks have been used by the AAP for election purposes, particularly citing an amount of ₹45 crore for the Goa elections in 2022, detailed in the agency’s charge sheets. Controversially, the excise policy introduced discounts and promotions for liquor sales in Delhi, a first for the city. As Kejriwal faces another call to present himself before the ED, the political and legal narratives surrounding the case continue to unfold, casting a sustained spotlight on the AAP’s governance and election financing practices.