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The ED had alleged that Kejriwal deliberately ignored repeated summons to join the investigation regarding the excise policy-linked money laundering case.
Former Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal asserted that only AAP can shape the future of Punjab and take care of the people.
(File pic)
In a big relief for former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, a Delhi court on Thursday acquitted the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader in two cases filed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) against him for skipping the agency’s summons in the excise policy case.
The ED had alleged that Kejriwal and AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan deliberately ignored repeated summons to join the investigation. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Paras Dalal of the Rouse Avenue Courts passed the order, granting relief to the AAP leader.
Hailing the Delhi court’s order, Kejriwal took to X and wrote, “Satyamev Jayate”.
The agency moved the court in February 2024 against Kejriwal for his non-compliance with the summons issued by the agency under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
Kejriwal chose not to appear before the central agency despite five summons being issued to him on different dates in connection with the probe into the excise policy-linked money laundering case. He had called the summons notices “illegal”.
Kejriwal was arrested by the ED and the CBI on March 21 and June 26, 2024, respectively, in connection with the money laundering and corruption cases involving the now-scrapped 2020 liquor excise policy scheme, over allegations that a sum of Rs 100 crore was paid by an alleged lobby to influence the formulation.
In July 2024, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to Kejriwal while referring his petition challenging his arrest by ED to a larger bench.
Last year, a report from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) said AAP’s excise policy had resulted in a revenue loss of about Rs 2,002 crore to the government, including around Rs 890 crore due to not retendering the surrendered retail licences and an additional Rs 941 crore due to exemptions that had to be given to the zonal licensees.
The CAG report said the policy aimed to eradicate the sale of spurious liquor and check bootlegging. However, important measures which were planned in the policy like setting up liquor testing laboratories, batch testing for rigorous quality assurance, and monitoring and regulation through the creation of a dedicated post were not ensured. The policy was scrapped after Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena ordered a probe into alleged irregularities.
January 22, 2026, 3:42 PM IST
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