Durgesh Pathak, a prominent member of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and MLA representing Delhi’s Rajinder Nagar constituency, has been summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with a money laundering case related to Delhi’s now-revoked liquor policy. The ED has called him for questioning at 2 pm today. Bibhav Kumar, the personal assistant of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, is also under scrutiny in this case.
Pathak, known for his roles within AAP’s political affairs committee and national executive, as well as leading its organization-building efforts, had previously faced summons from the central agency in 2022.
This development unfolds amid a challenging time for AAP’s leadership, with both Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi Chief Minister, and former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia currently in custody in connection with the ED’s investigation. AAP MP Sanjay Singh, who had also been detained, recently obtained bail.
The AAP has vehemently denied the allegations against its leaders, accusing the BJP-led central government of leveraging investigative agencies for political motives. This summons to Pathak follows recent claims by Delhi Minister and AAP leader Atishi, who alleged that the ED intends to arrest her along with three other AAP leaders—Saurabh Bharadwaj, Raghav Chadha, and Durgesh Pathak.
Atishi asserted that the BJP had approached her through a close intermediary, offering her a choice between joining the BJP to “save her political career” or facing ED arrest. She further claimed that the BJP aimed to arrest four more AAP leaders within the next two months.
In response, the BJP’s Delhi unit has issued a defamation notice to Atishi, demanding a public apology and citing her failure to substantiate the claims of BJP’s approach.
The controversy stems from the Delhi government’s liquor policy, introduced in 2021 but later withdrawn amid allegations of favoritism towards liquor license holders. Following a recommendation by Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) initiated an investigation into the reported irregularities, while the ED is delving into the money trail associated with the case.
Sources By Agencies
