The supremo of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) was earlier called by the agency on November 2 and December 21, but he did not show up.
Kejriwal’s absence earlier this week was attributed to his involvement in a Vipassana training.
In this instance, MP Sanjay Singh and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia have already been taken into custody.
Why is this story important?
Prior to this, the ED had claimed that Kejriwal had colluded with those involved in the purported liquor policy fraud, which is currently the subject of an independent investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
He was questioned by the CBI in April for about nine hours.
Conversely, the AAP initiated a campaign on December 1st to find out what the general people thought about Kejriwal’s decision to govern from jail or to step down in the event of an arrest.
Kejriwal’s Vipassana training and his summons answer
Furthermore, the AAP was unable to verify if Kejriwal received the third summons from the ED, which was sent out on Friday.
On December 20, it stated, he left on a 10-day Vipassana meditation retreat in Punjab.
The ED summons cannot be delivered since Kejriwal is “without communication” throughout the process, according to Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj.
In a previous letter to the ED, Kejriwal contended that the summonses were “not in consonance with law” and were being motivated by his “political rivals.”
What Bharadwaj wrote regarding summons on X
Everyone knows that Hon’ble CM Arvind Kejriwal is in Vipasana. ED knows well that he can’t be served summons while he is without any communication during 10 days meditation.
This summon appears more of a political posturing of Central Govt than a legal process.
— Saurabh Bharadwaj (@Saurabh_MLAgk) December 22, 2023
Background of the case, arrests of AAP leaders
The case originated from a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) complaint that claimed anomalies in the formulation and implementation of Delhi’s Excise Policy 2021-22. The file was subsequently withdrawn due to allegations of corruption.
Singh and Sisodia are being held by the court in relation to the case.
Former Delhi deputy chief minister Sisodia was detained by the CBI on February 26. Rajya Sabha member Singh was arrested by the ED on October 5.
Become aware of the Delhi Liquor Policy Scam
In November 2021, the Delhi Excise Policy 2021–22 was unveiled by the AAP-led administration in Delhi.
As a result, the government stopped selling alcohol and allowed private owners to manage liquor stores.
However, Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena of Delhi issued a probe order, citing flaws in the plan’s creation and execution.
Following the CBI’s filing of a FIR, the ED began its own investigation. In July 2022, the policy was abandoned.