Delhi: Following the arrest of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Delhi Minister and AAP leader Kailash Gahlot for interrogation regarding a money-laundering probe linked to the liquor policy case. Gahlot, aged 49 and serving as the AAP MLA from Delhi’s Najafgarh, holds key portfolios in the Delhi government, including transport, home, and law.
Sources revealed that Gahlot has been directed to present himself for questioning and provide his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). BJP leader Virendra Sachdeva responded to the summons by expressing anticipation for the truth to emerge, highlighting what he perceives as the corrupt face of the AAP and its leadership, particularly Arvind Kejriwal.
On the other hand, AAP leader Dilip Kumar Pandey criticized the BJP government, accusing it of exercising dictatorship. Pandey emphasized the need for nationwide protests against what he termed as BJP’s hooliganism and the unjust arrest of Kejriwal. Notably, several other AAP leaders, including Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, and Kejriwal, are incarcerated over similar allegations in the same case.
However, Kailash Gahlot, along with Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj, is one of the few prominent AAP leaders not currently in custody. Kejriwal’s recent arrest by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21, following his disregard of nine summonses, has intensified demands from the BJP for his resignation as the Delhi Chief Minister.
Kejriwal’s custody under the Enforcement Directorate has been extended until April 1. In his defense, Kejriwal has asserted in a Delhi court that allegations against him are part of a fabricated narrative, insisting that no tangible evidence supports the accusations. He questioned the basis of his arrest, citing the testimony of only four witnesses in the excise policy case, and raised concerns about alleged coercion tactics being employed to alter witness statements.
Furthermore, Kejriwal dismissed claims of accepting illicit funds, arguing that such funds simply do not exist. His statements underscore the ongoing legal battle between AAP and its political rivals, particularly the BJP, which seeks to discredit the party and its leadership on allegations of corruption.
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