After ED summons Kejriwal, Akali Dal asks for probe into alleged Punjab Excise scam

Shiromani Akal Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal has called for a thorough probe into the alleged Punjab Excise Scam too

Chandigarh: After the Enforcement Directorate summoned Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for questioning in the Delhi excise policy case, Shiromani Akal Dal leader Sukhbir Singh Badal has called for a thorough probe into the alleged Punjab Excise Scam too.

Sukhbir Singh Badal took to X and said “Twin developments, including the rejection of the bail plea of ex-Delhi CM Manish Sisodia and summoning of Aam Aadmi Party Convener, Arvind Kejriwal in the Delhi Excise Policy Scam on Nov 2, calls for a thorough probe into the Punjab Excise Scam too.” He also alleged the role of Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha.

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“The Punjab scam was patterned on the Delhi one and is already under the Enforcement Directorate scanner. The role of CM Bhagwant Mann and all other participants including Harpal Cheema MLA and Raghav Chadha need to be probed to get to the bottom of the Rs 550 crore scam. This “Looteryan Di Party” should be held to account,” he added.

The AAP however claimed the ED summons was vindictive politics by the BJP at the centre which wanted to remove Kejriwal.

“The only aim of BJP and PM Narendra Modi is to remove CM Arvind Kejriwal by any means. First, they did it through legal means. They tried first in Delhi and then in Punjab but failed again. And when the AAP party reached Gujarat, they could not deal with it. Then they started conspiring and started arresting big leaders of our party on false charges. Even after this, they saw that the party was not breaking. Then they issued summons to Arvind Kejriwal” AAP leader Sandeep Pathak said.

Meanwhile, ED has summoned Arvind Kejriwal on November 2 for questioning in the Delhi Excise policy case.

Kejriwal was earlier summoned by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in April this year, in connection with the case.

However, Kejriwal was not named as an accused in the first information report (FIR) filed by the CBI on August 17, last year.

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed the bail plea of Manish Sisodia in connection with cases related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy case.

The order was delivered by a bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and SVN Bhatti.

However, the court directed to complete the trial in the case in six to eight months. The court also remarked that if the trial in the case proceeds at a slow pace, Sisodia can apply for bail again after three months.

The court, while refusing bail, also took note of the aspects regarding the transfer of a money trail of 338 crore, which is tentatively established.