Delhi transport minister Kailash Gahlot on Saturday appeared earlier than the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in reference to the Delhi liquor coverage case, reported The Indian Categorical.
This got here hours after the Aam Aadmi Get together chief acquired a summons in relation to the case that has thus far seen the arrests of three of the social gathering’s senior leaders by the central company, together with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Gahlot, 49, is an MLA from Najafgarh and is the minister of transport, setting, residence and regulation within the Delhi authorities.
Kejriwal was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on March 21. On Thursday, a Delhi courtroom prolonged his Enforcement Directorate custody till April 1.
Two senior Aam Aadmi Get together leaders – Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh – are additionally in jail in reference to the case. The social gathering and its leaders have denied the allegations.
“This alleged investigation is to assault the AAP, Arvind Kejriwal, and to topple the AAP authorities…at the moment they’ve referred to as Kailash Gahlot, tomorrow it may be me, then [Delhi education minister] Saurabh Bharadwaj then every AAP MLA and chief,” Delhi minister Atishi mentioned on Saturday.
The Enforcement Directorate’s case relies on a primary data report registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation alleging irregularities within the Delhi authorities’s liquor excise coverage that had come into impact in November 2021 and was withdrawn in July 2022, with Delhi Lieutenant Governor Vinai Kumar Saxena recommending an investigation into the alleged irregularities of the coverage.
The Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate have alleged that the Aam Aadmi Get together authorities modified Delhi’s liquor excise coverage to make sure a 12% revenue margin for wholesalers and a virtually 185% revenue margin for retailers.
The Enforcement Directorate has additionally claimed that members of a “South Group” have paid no less than Rs 100 crore in kickbacks to leaders of the Aam Aadmi Get together via businessman Vijay Nair, who can also be in jail.