News Analysis India

Tag: ED summons

  • Arvind Kejriwal: Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest: AAP faces leadership crisis ahead of Lok Sabha election

    New Delhi: The arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the alleged excise policy scam case has posed a leadership crisis question before the AAP as well as the Delhi government, with his wife Sunita Kejriwal and cabinet ministers Atishi and Saurabh Bharadwaj being talked about as his possible replacement. The challenge before the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) now is to come up with a worthy leader who could handle both the party and its government in Delhi in absence of Kejriwal.

    However, it’s indeed a big task for the AAP leadership to come up with a name of a leader that at least comes closer to Kejriwal’s stature as convener of the party since its inception in 2012 and holding Delhi Chief Minister’s post for three terms spanning nearly a decade.

    The urgency of the task becomes even more pressing as the AAP is gearing up to contest the Lok Sabha polls in Punjab, Delhi, Gujarat, Assam and Haryana in which Kejriwal was to be a key campaigner of the party. Apart from Sunita Kejriwal, a former IRS officer, the names of AAP government ministers Atishi and Bharadwaj too are taking rounds for the post of Delhi chief minister.

    Atishi, who holds the maximum number of portfolios in the Delhi government, including education, finance, PWD, revenue and services, is considered close to Arvind Kejriwal.

    She is also a frontline spokesperson of the party defending the AAP government and Kejriwal, and attacking the BJP in her regular press conferences and appearances on news channels. Likewise, Bharadwaj is also a prominent member of the Delhi Cabinet holding several important portfolios including health and urban development. He, too, is a well known face of the party, often engaged in defending the party and its leaders and counter-attacking the BJP and its government at the Centre on a range of governance-related and political issues.

    However, in December last year, the AAP launched a signature campaign ‘Mai Bhi Kejriwal’, asking people whether he should resign as Delhi chief minister or run the government from jail if arrested.

    During the campaign, the AAP supremo also met party MLAs and municipal corporation councilors in Delhi for their feedback on the issue.

    Bharadwaj recently told reporters in a press conference, “Nearly 90 per cent of people in this exercise opined that Kejriwal has the mandate of Delhi and he has been elected and hence, only he would run the government in Delhi no matter from where.”

    The AAP leadership also has to find a replacement of Kejriwal to head the party that runs governments in Delhi and Punjab besides having MLAs in Gujarat and Goa as well.

    In this area also, the options of the party are rather limited.

    Apart from Sunita Kejriwal, name of Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Atishi too are taking rounds as leaders who could hold the responsibility of new AAP national convener.

  • Arvind Kejriwal Likely To Appear Before Delhi Court Today After Trust Vote Move |

    Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to appear before a court in connection with the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate in the alleged Excise scam case. Delhi CM Kejriwal has already skipped five summons in the case following which the ED approached a city court against him. Kejriwal, who is also the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Chief, is expected to present himself before a Delhi court to clarify his stand to skip the ED summons. 

    This comes amid the Delhi Assembly’s move to adopt the motion of confidence moved by the Chief Minister in a show of strength amid allegations that the BJP is trying to poach AAP MLAs by offering them Rs 25 crores each.

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    Speaking after presenting the motion of confidence in the Delhi Assembly yesterday, CM Kejriwal stated that two AAP MLAs informed him of BJP members approaching them, claiming that the Delhi chief minister would soon be arrested and these MLAs were offered Rs 25 crore to join the BJP. Kejriwal said that he brought the trust vote in the assembly to prove none of the AAP MLAs had defected.

    मेरे पास 2 MLA आये और उन्होंने बताया:

    BJP ने उन्हें कहा है कि आपके मुख्यमंत्री को हम कुछ दिन में गिरफ़्तार कर लेंगे, हमने 21 विधायकों से बात कर ली है

    उन्होंने 25-25 Crore का ऑफर दिया है और कहा है कि उन्हें अपनी पार्टी से चुनाव भी लड़वा देंगे

    इन्होंने कई बार Operation Lotus… pic.twitter.com/aJvsIPD0N9
    — AAP (@AamAadmiParty) February 16, 2024

    This move by Kejriwal comes ahead of the ED’s sixth summons scheduled for February 19. This marks the second occasion where the Arvind Kejriwal government seeks a trust vote. The Aam Aadmi Party holds 62 MLAs in the 70-member Assembly, while the BJP has eight.

    Last week, the court summoned Kejriwal, emphasizing his legal obligation to comply. The ED has accused the Delhi chief minister of intentionally avoiding summons, with the AAP claiming that the summonses were illegal, and the agency’s objective is to arrest Kejriwal and make the Delhi government collapse by unfair means. The AAP leaders claimed that the BJP is deploying different techniques to gain power in Delhi as they cannot win against the Aam Aadmi Party in the national capital.

    The ongoing investigation involves allegations of liquor companies influencing the excise policy for a 12% profit, with the Enforcement Directorate alleging money laundering related to kickbacks. The BJP contends that AAP used the alleged scam proceeds to fund its Gujarat campaign, establishing itself as a national party.

  • Arvind Kejriwal-ED row: Political leaders react to Delhi CM's claim of BJP vendetta

    Arvind Kejriwal-ED row: Political leaders react to Delhi CM's claim of BJP vendetta

  • Congress protest march in support of corruption: BJP 

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI:  The BJP on Monday criticised the protest march of the Congress against the ED summons to its leader Rahul Gandhi in the National Herald case, saying members of the opposition party have hit the streets in support of corruption and to allegedly protect over Rs 2,000 crore assets of the Gandhi family.

    Addressing a press conference, BJP leader and Union Minister Smriti Irani said the show of strength by the Congress is aimed at putting pressure on the probe agency, and asserted that nobody is above the law “even Rahul Gandhi”.

    Congress members should also ask Rahul Gandhi about his family’s relations with Dotex Merchandise, which she described as a hawala operator whose transactions have been flagged by the Financial Intelligence Unit.

    The BJP leader alleged that the Gandhi family floated Young Indian to grab the assets worth over Rs 2,000 crore of Associated Journals Limited, which publishes the National Herald newspaper.

    Never before such a blatant attempt was made by a political family to hold a probe agency to ransom, she said. Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Monday appeared before the ED here for questioning in the National Herald money-laundering investigation.

  • Delhi HC refuses to grant interim relief to TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, wife

    By ANI

    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused to grant any interim relief to TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee and refused to stay the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons issued against him and his wife.

    A single-judge bench of Justice Yogesh Khanna asked ED to file a reply on Abhishek Banerjee’s plea challenging its summons to him and his wife.

    The Court has listed the matter for further hearing on September 27.

    The Delhi High Court was hearing Banerjee’s plea challenging ED summons to him and his wife.

    Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Abhishek Banerjee told the Court that he is challenging the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate, asking him to appear on September 21.

    Sibal told the Court that ED is demanding the income tax returns and other income documents of the whole family.

    Banerjee’s lawyer also accused ED of selectively leaking information to the media with the intent of harming the reputation of the petitioners and encouraging a media trial. He also apprised the Court that his client had appeared before ED earlier and was grilled for 10-11 hours.

    The lawyer said that Banerjee was asked about his income tax return 10 years ago and overseas visits by him and his family members.

    Sibal told the Court that there is an embargo on his wife. She has to be interrogated at her residence, Sibal adding that a woman, a disabled person, a child should be investigated only where they reside and they can’t be called to Delhi.

    Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for ED, told the Court that there is a difference between probes in offences dealing with provisions of PMLA and IPC and in IPC offences, there are police stations that have jurisdiction, however, in PMLA there is no such territorial jurisdiction.

    Additional Solicitor General SV Raju clarified that enquiry dealing with offences under the provisions of PMLA can be held anywhere as it has no such territorial jurisdiction

    ED told the Delhi HC that it has evidence that the wife of Abhishek Banerjee was in a beauty parlour, the day his wife has replied to the investigating agency that she is not in Delhi and she would not come. Unfortunately, we don’t provide services like a beauty parlour at our office, ASG Raju said.

    Senior Advocate Sibal raised objections to such arguments related to beauty parlours and submitted that “Let us stick to the law”.

    Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that the argument is not a sarcastic remark but the investigating agency has proof and they know where she was in Delhi exactly.

    ASG SV Raju said that the probe will happen at the instructions of the investigating officer and the agency officer has the right to decide when and where enquiry will be conducted and no interference by the accused is allowed.

    The petitioners sought the Court’s direction to set aside and quash the summons issued in connection with the coal mining scam.

    Abhishek Banerjee along with his wife Rujira Banerjee sought the issuance of direction to the ED to not summon them in New Delhi and carry out any further examination in Kolkata, West Bengal.

    According to the plea, the ED had on September 10, issued fresh summons to Abhishek Banerjee under Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 requiring the personal appearance of him along with a voluminous set of documents on September 21, 2021, in New Delhi.

    The petitioners alleged that they have serious apprehensions about the fairness of the investigation being conducted by the ED owing to the fact that the respondent is adopting a pick and choose the attitude with respect to certain persons and is giving undue benefit and protection to complicit individuals and in return extracting false, baseless and malicious statements from them.

    “The respondent agency is also selectively leaking information to the media with the intent of harming the reputation of the petitioners and encouraging a media trial, the details of which are further elaborated in the accompanying petition, in order to falsely embroil the Petitioners in baseless and scandalous allegations,” read the plea.

    The petition stated that the petitioner Abhishek Banerjee, is a politician hailing from the state of West Bengal and is presently serving as a Member of Parliament in the Lok Sabha, having been elected from the Diamond Harbour, South 24 Parganas constituency in West Bengal and hence is a respected individual and a prominent member of the Indian polity and society. He has two minor children under her care, said the plea.

    In this particular alleged illegal coal mining case, in the state of West Bengal, the CBI had already interrogated Abhishek Banerjee. 

  • Coal smuggling case: Abhishek Banerjee’s wife Rujira not to appear before ED today

    By ANI

    KOLKATA: As the investigation in the West Bengal coal smuggling case continues, Rujira Banerjee, wife of Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee informed that she will not be appearing before Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday.

    She was asked to appear before the agency in Delhi, in connection with coal smuggling case.

    In an official communication to ED, TMC National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee’s wife Rujira said that it is not safe for her and her two infants to travel to Delhi alone in midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and requested the ED to “consider asking her to appear in Kolkata at my residence”.

    On August 28, Enforcement Directorate informed that it summoned All India Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on September 3 in connection with the coal mining scam.

    The wife of Abhishek Banerjee, Rujira Banerjee was also summoned by ED on September 1 along with others with their bank details.

    Earlier that day, while addressing TMC Chhatra Parishad foundation day at Kalighat, Abhishek Banerjee slammed the NDA government at the Centre by saying, “BJP thinks it can put pressure on us by using ED against us but we will emerge stronger.”

    “The way TMC workers are working makes BJP scared. We assured to Tripura people that we will fight with you all. TMC will continue to fight against BJP in every state where they is no democracy. TMC will fight till the end against BJP,” he had said.

  • Mehbooba Mufti challenges ED summons in Court, calls it undue pressure and harassment

    By ANI
    NEW DELHI: PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti has approached Delhi High Court seeking quashing of ED summons requiring her to appear before it on March 15 in connection with a money laundering case.

    She has also challenged constitutional vires of Section 50 and any incidental provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA).

    Mufti after receiving the notice of summons had also tweeted on March 5 and said, “GOIs tactics to intimidate & browbeat political opponents to make them toe their line has become tediously predictable. They don’t want us to raise questions about its punitive actions & policies. Such short sighted scheming won’t work.”

    GOIs tactics to intimidate & browbeat political opponents to make them toe their line has become tediously predictable.They don’t want us to raise questions about its punitive actions & policies. Such short sighted scheming wont work .
    — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) March 5, 2021

    Section 50 of the PMLA empowers the ‘authority’ i.e., officers of the Enforcement Directorate, to summon any person to give evidence or produce records. All persons summoned are bound to answer questions put to them, and to produce the documents as required by the ED officers, failing which they can be penalised under the PMLA.

    Mehbooba Mufti is the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, and President of the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP),

    Her petition states that she has not been informed if she is being summoned as an accused or as a witness. She has also not been informed of what she is being summoned in connection with, and the scheduled offence under the PMLA which gave rise to the proceedings in respect of which summons has been issued to her.

    The plea added that the petitioner (Mehbooba Mufti) is not the subject of investigation, nor is she an accused, in any of the scheduled offences under the PMLA, to the best of her knowledge. Ever since the petitioner was released from preventive detention following the formal abrogation of Article 370, there have been a series of hostile acts by the State, against her acquaintances and old family friends, who have all been summoned by the ED and a roving inquiry about her personal, political and financial affairs was made, in the course of which their personal devices have been seized.

    The Petitioner also wrote a letter to the Enforcement Directorate, inter alia, pointing to the roving nature of the inquiry undertaken in the case thus far and that in the event that she is questioned, she will insist on the legitimacy of the process.

    Mufti through petition also states that “As a responsible member of society, the petitioner is always ready and willing to aid the process of law. However, it is equally her duty to bring to the notice of this Court, deviations from due process in legislative and executive acts.” The Petitioner apprehends that the impugned summons is a means of bringing undue pressure and harassment upon her and therefore, the petitioner wishes to assert her constitutional rights in this regard.