NEW DELHI, Feb 3: The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday approached a Delhi Court against the Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for non-compliance with the summons issued to him in the money laundering case related to the Delhi liquor excise policy 2021-22.
The Rouse Avenue court heard some submissions on Saturday and posted the matter for February 7 to consider the rest of the submissions.
It is now double trouble for Kejriwal as both the Delhi crime branch and the ED have turned the heat on the chief minister for two separate cases. The ED has been summoning Kejriwal in connection with the liquor interrogation since last year. Till now, Kejriwal skipped five of the agency’s summons calling them illegal. Kejriwal refused to comply with the summons on November 2, December 21, January 3, January 19 and February 2.
On both Friday and Saturday, Delhi crime branch officials reached Kejriwal’s house to serve him a notice in person regarding his allegations that the BJP was in touch with seven AAP MLAs to poach them. The officers went to Kejriwal’s house on Saturday morning as the Delhi CM was not there on Friday. A drama unfolded on Saturday morning as AAP leaders present there asked the crime branch officials why they were insisting on giving the notice only to the CM. Finally, the notice was given to officials asking Kejriwal to reply within three days revealing the names of the MLAs who have been approached by the BJP.
After Saturday’s drama, Kejriwal took to X and said he has sympathy for crime branch officers. “What is their fault? Their job is to stop crime but they are asked to stage drama instead and that’s why crime is increasing in Delhi.”
“Their political masters are asking me to reveal the names of the MLAs who have been approached for poaching. But they know better. Don’t they know everything? Not only in Delhi, you know how many MLAs you bought across the country to topple governments. Then why do this drama?” Kejriwal added.
(Manas Dasgupta)
