The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday questioned Delhi minister Kailash Gahlot in connection with the money-laundering case linked to the now-scrapped
excise policy.

The development comes days after the arrest of Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in the same case.

Gahlot is the minister for home, transport and law in the Delhi government.

“I was questioned for nearly 5.5 hours. I will come in for questioning again if the ED summons me,” he told reporters while leaving the ED office.

Gahlot entered the ED office in central Delhi around 11.30am and left after 4.30pm.

Sources said Gahlot was questioned about the formulation and implementation of the excise policy for 2021-22 as he was part of the group of ministers, along with former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and former urban development minister Satyendar Jain.

Gahlot said this was the second summons sent to him as he could not depose for the first time about a month back as the budget session of the Delhi Assembly was on.

The Enforcement Directorate has alleged that the excise policy was leaked to the “South Group” liquor lobby that included Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader K. Kavitha, who was also arrested in the case and is currently in judicial custody.

According to the central agency, this group allegedly gave Rs 100-crore kickbacks to the AAP and its leaders.