Delhi excise policy case: Arvind Kejriwal skips 5th ED summons

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not appear before the Enforcement Directorate ED on Friday for questioning in an alleged money laundering case linked to the nowscrapped Delhi excise policy according to the AAP reported news agency PTIDelhi excise policy case Fifth summons to KejriwalThe ED on Wednesday had issued a fresh and the fifth summons to Kejriwal after he skipped four earlier summonses over the last four monthsKejriwal has so far skipped four previous summons issued by the ED on January 18 January 3 November 2 and December 22 calling them illegal and politically motivatedKejriwal will not appear before the agency for questioning the Aam Aadmi Party AAP said reported PTITerming the summons illegal the party said the ED is repeatedly sending notices to Kejriwal to arrest him reported PTIDelhi excise policy case BJP wants to topple its government in Delhi says AAPThe AAP also alleged that the BJP wants to topple its government in Delhi by getting Kejriwal arrested The AAP will not let this happen it said reported PTIThe Delhi chief minister is however scheduled to take part in a protest of the AAP outside the BJP headquarters at 11 amIt is alleged that the Delhi governments excise policy for 202122 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP reported PTIThe policy was subsequently scrapped and Delhi Lt Governor VK Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation probe following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act PMLAThe case is based on a First Information Report FIR alleging multiple irregularities in the formation and implementation of the Delhi excise policy 202122 by the Central Bureau of Investigation CBI The policy was withdrawn after allegations of corruptionIn its sixth charge sheet filed in the case on December 2 2023 naming AAP leader Sanjay Singh and his aide Sarvesh Mishra the ED has claimed that the AAP used kickbacks worth Rs 45 crore generated via the policy as part of its assembly elections campaign in Goa in 2022The excise policy was aimed at revitalizing the citys flagging liquor business and replacing a salesvolumebased regime with a licence fee for traders It promised swankier stores and a better buying experience The policy introduced discounts and offers on the purchase of liquor for the first time in DelhiWith inputs from PTI and ANI