New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned Amit Palekar, the Goa unit chief of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), along with other party leaders from the coastal state for questioning in a money-laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy.
The AAP leaders have been directed to appear at the ED's office in Panjim, Goa, on March 28, the official sources told PTI.
Amit Palekar, who served as the AAP's chief ministerial candidate during the February 2022 Goa Assembly polls, recently stated that there was no evidence to support allegations of illicit money being funneled into the state.
He asserted that he and his party colleagues were ready to cooperate with any inquiry.
The ED had earlier arrested AAP's national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on March 21 in connection with the same case.
The agency alleges that the AAP utilized approximately Rs 45 crore of "proceeds of crime" in its Goa election campaign, sourced from the Rs 100 crore "bribe" that was pumped in by the "South Group" that allegedly involved Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K Kavitha.
Meanwhile, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued notice to ED and sought its response to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's petition for interim relief from ED arrest by April 2. However, there will be no immediate relief for Kejriwal as the Delhi High Court has issued a notice in both his interim plea as well as main writ petition challenging arrest and ED remand.
Kejriwal filed two petitions in the high court, one against the ED arrest and subsequent remand and another for interim relief for immediate release from custody till the time the main matter is completed. The matter is now posted on April 3 for final disposal.
Kejriwal will be produced before a Delhi court by the ED at the end of his remand period on Thursday.