Sisodia questions ED summons to AAP leader Durgesh Pathak

There was no official confirmation yet from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on the summons

AAP MLA and Delhi municipal polls in-charge Durgesh Pathak was questioned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday in connection with the controversial excise policy of the Arvind Kejriwal government that was scrapped.

The ED action was immediately criticised by the AAP with Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who is also an accused in the case filed by the CBI in connection with the excise policy, questioning the summons to Pathak and wondering whether the agency was targeting the policy or municipal polls.

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Sources said Pathak appeared before the ED for questioning in connection with the money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy case.

Pathak faced questions about his alleged role in the scam and his links with Vijay Nair, former CEO of an entertainment and event management company and an accused in the case, they said.

Pathak's questioning comes three days after the ED conducted raids at 40 locations in connection with the case. Sisodia, 12 other people and two companies are facing charges of committing "irregularities" in the formulation of excise policy and money changing hands for financially benefiting private liquor businesses.

"The ED has summoned AAP's MCD poll in-charge Durgesh Pathak today. What has our MCD poll in-charge to do with Delhi government's excise policy? Is their target liquor policy or MCD poll?" Sisodia tweeted.

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On September 16, the ED had conducted searches at premises linked to liquor businessmen, distributors and supply chain networks in Nellore and some other cities in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Delhi and its suburbs. On September 6 too, searches were conducted at around 40 locations.

The ED case was registered on the basis of a CBI FIR filed on August 17. The CBI had conducted raids in the case on August 19 at Sisodia's residence, former Delhi excise commissioner Arava Gopi Krishna's premises, and 19 other locations across seven states and Union Territories.

The excise policy came under the CBI and ED scanners after Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a probe following a report by the Chief Secretary.