CBI summons Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for questioning in liquor policy case on Sunday

CBI has on Friday summoned Delhi CM and AAP national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on April 16 at 11 am to question him in the excise policy case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday opposed the bail plea moved by Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in a money laundering case related to excise case and said, "An Illegal ecosystem was created to give illegal benefits to liquor cartels to get kickbacks." Appearing for ED, Zohaib Hossain submitted before the court that all the elements of conspiracy are present here in the matter.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on March 9 arrested former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the liquor policy case, after hours of questioning at Tihar Jail. The CBI arrested Sisodia in the liquor policy case on February 26, 2023.

Kejriwal will appear before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on April 16 in the excise policy case, said Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MP Sanjay Singh. " A notice has been served by CBI. On 16th April, Arvind Kejriwal will appear before them," said Singh.

Hitting out at BJP, the AAP said, "The Centre wants to put AAP under pressure after it has become a national party. Under this, Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned by CBI. He will appear for questioning on April 16". "Arvind Kejriwal has been sent a CBI summon. I'd like to tell the PM - you and your Govt are covered in corruption from head to toe and Arvind Kejriwal's fight will not stop with this CBI summon. The conspiracy hatched by you to arrest, jail and take action against Arvind Kejriwal on 16th April will not stifle his voice," Sanjay Singh said.

Notably, on April 10, the Election Commission of India recognised AAP as a national party, after it was able to fulfil the required criteria. Sisodia was arrested by ED and CBI in the ongoing investigation of a case related to alleged irregularities in the framing and implementation of the excise policy of GNCTD.

The CBI arrested Sisodia in the liquor policy case on February 26, 2023. Later on March 9, the ED arrested him, after hours of questioning at Tihar Jail. In October, the ED had raided nearly three dozen locations in Delhi and Punjab following the arrest of Sameer Mahendru, Managing Director of Delhi's Jor Bagh-based liquor distributor Indospirit Group, in the case and arrested him later. The CBI too filed its first charge sheet in the case early this week.

The ED and the CBI had alleged that irregularities were committed while modifying the Excise Policy, undue favours were extended to licence holders, the licence fee was waived or reduced and the L-1 licence was extended without the competent authority's approval. The beneficiaries diverted "illegal" gains to the accused officials and made false entries in their books of account to evade detection. As per the allegations, the Excise Department had decided to refund the Earnest Money Deposit of about Rs 30 crore to a successful tenderer against the set rules. Even though there was no enabling provision, a waiver on tendered licence fees was allowed from December 28, 2021, to January 27, 2022, due to COVID-19.

This allegedly caused a loss of Rs 144.36 crore to the exchequer, which has been instituted on a reference from the Union Home Ministry following a recommendation from Delhi Lieutenant-Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena.