ED Summons Kejriwal For 3rd Time Amid Liquor Probe, Skips 2nd Summon, Citing Vipassana Retreat

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been issued a third summons by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to appear on January 3 in connection with an ongoing liquor probe. Kejriwal had previously skipped the first two summons, citing election and governance commitments and later attending a vipassana retreat.

The third summons coincided with a court denying bail to Kejriwal’s Rajya Sabha MP, Sanjay Singh, stating that the case against him was genuine, and the presented evidence indicated involvement in alleged money laundering.

Kejriwal was initially summoned on November 2, but he claimed governance-related work and election campaigning commitments. A second summons for December 21 was also ignored as Kejriwal went for a vipassana retreat, a day before the scheduled appearance.

In response to the summons, Kejriwal wrote to the ED, expressing concerns about the timing and suggesting political motivations behind the repeated summonses. He asserted that the summons appeared to be a fishing and roving inquiry and raised questions about their validity.

Kejriwal emphasized his law-abiding nature and transparent life, stating that he had nothing to hide. He highlighted his annual attendance at the Vipassana meditation course for the past 25 years, with the latest session scheduled from December 20.

In a related development, Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, who was arrested in February in connection with the liquor probe, had his judicial custody extended till January 19, 2023. Additionally, Sanjay Singh, another AAP leader involved in the case, had his bail dismissed, with the court citing reasonable grounds to believe his involvement in money laundering.

The ongoing developments highlight the legal challenges faced by prominent AAP leaders in connection with the liquor probe and the political tensions surrounding the case.