Arvind Kejriwal summoned for the fourth time in Delhi Liquor Policy case

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the fourth time in the Delhi liquor policy case.

He has been asked to appear before the investigative agency on January 18.

The fourth summons come after Arvind Kejriwal skipped the January 3 questioning, saying that the summons issued by the ED were illegal and its only aim was to arrest him.

Kejriwal, also the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief, had earlier refused to appear before the probe agency on two occasions for November 2 and December 21.

The AAP chief had been questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the case in April, but had not been made an accused by the agency.

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Ever since the first summons was issued by the Enforcement Directorate, there has been intense speculation that the Delhi chief minister would be arrested by the agency after his questioning.

With three of AAP’s leaders -- Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Satyendra Jain -- behind bars, AAP has long been anticipating the eventuality and has discussed the possible courses of action.  They even want Kejriwal to remain the Chief Minister and do his job from jail.

The CBI contends that liquor companies were involved in framing the excise policy, which would have brought them a 12 per cent profit. A liquor lobby it dubbed the “South Group” had paid kickbacks, part of which was routed to public servants. The Enforcement Directorate alleged money laundering of the kickbacks.

Meanwhile, the BJP has alleged that the proceeds of the alleged scam were used by the AAP to fund its large-scale campaign in Gujarat, in which it got 12.91 per cent votes and established itself as a national party.