On 6th November, Chief Minister of Delhi Arvind Kejriwal called for a meeting with all the MLAs of Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi. It is speculated that the meeting was called amidst concerns over the expected action against Arvind Kejriwal by the central agencies over the Delhi Liquor Scam.
The meeting will take place in the Delhi assembly complex. However, the agenda of the meeting is unclear. There are speculations that some significant decisions will be made during the meeting regarding the AAP and AAP-led government in Delhi. Notably, the Enforcement Directorate had summoned Kejriwal on 2nd November in relation to the alleged scam, however, he failed to appear.
Arvind Kejriwal claimed there were discrepancies in the summons and decided not to appear for questioning. Instead, he joined Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in campaigning in Madhya Pradesh for the Assembly Elections.
ED may issue fresh summons to Kejriwal soon. Several other AAP leaders and Kejriwal’s associates, including Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi Manish Sisodia, have already been arrested by the central agencies investigating the Liquor Scam. While Sisodia has been in custody since February this year, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was recently arrested for his alleged involvement in money laundering related to the liquor scam.
Delhi Liquor Policy Scam
The Delhi liquor policy for 2021-22 was put into effect by the administration on 17th November 2021, however, it was cancelled at the end of September 2022 due to accusations of corruption. According to the agencies, the new regulation led to monopolisation, and gave economic advantages to people who weren’t eligible for liquor licenses. Central Bureau of Investigation and ED are investigating the alleged Delhi Liquor Scam. Several arrests were made in connection to the scam, including of Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh. Recently, the Supreme Court of India refused to grant bail to Sisodia, saying a money trail of Rs 338 crore has been tentatively established in the case.