The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has recently issued its fifth summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, instructing him to appear this week. This summons is part of the federal agency’s ongoing money laundering investigation, specifically tied to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy case.
Previously, Kejriwal declined to appear before the federal agency in response to earlier summons issued on November 2, December 22, January 3, and January 18. He characterized the probe as “illegal”, and part of a political conspiracy aimed at preventing him from campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls.
Charges against Arvind Kejriwal and AAP leaders
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has expressed its intention to interrogate Kejriwal regarding the formulation of the excise policy, pre-finalization meetings, and allegations of bribery.
In one of its five charge sheets, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) asserted that the excise policy was conceived by Kejriwal.
References to alleged meetings, commissions for private players, and the involvement of political figures and businesspersons from the south in Delhi’s liquor business have also been made in remand papers that mention Kejriwal. 
In its sixth charge sheet filed on December 2, 2023, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) named AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and his aide Sarvesh Mishra. The ED alleged that AAP utilized kickbacks amounting to ₹45 crore, generated from the policy, for its assembly elections campaign in Goa in 2022.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that a total of ₹100 crore in bribes was paid to AAP leaders in connection with the excise Kejriwal. 
AAP is in trouble
AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) finds itself entangled in legal troubles, with two prominent leaders, Manish Sisodia and Satyendra Jain, already in Tihar jail. Now, with charges against AAP Chief Arvind Kejriwal, it appears that challenges for the party are increasing. 
If Arvind Kejriwal is arrested, it will not be easy for AAP to campaign in the election, and the entire future of the party seems to be dependent on him. He stated that the entire exercise of serving him summons was being carried out to arrest him before the 2024 Lok Sabha Polls.
Conspiracy against opposition
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has constantly said that these charges against him is politically motivated, and this is conspiracy to stop him campaigning for Lok Sabha election. 
Close to the polls, the opposition is getting ensnared in ED’s charges. Two prominent leaders of the opposition, Arvind Kejriwal and Hemant Soren, are currently facing ED investigations. Lalu Yadav is also receiving summons from the ED. The opposition is consistently alleging that the ED works for the BJP, and they argue that all these actions are politically motivated.
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