PANAJI; The Enforcement Directorate on Thursday began questioning four persons including AAP Goa President Amit Palekar in connection with the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, reportedly linked to the Excise scam.
The ED sleuths had issued summons to AAP Goa chief Palekar, party leader Ramrao Wagh and two other Bhandari community leaders — Dattaprasad Naik and Ashok Naik to appear before them on Thursday at 11.15 am.
All the leaders arrived at the ED office in Panaji in the afternoon and they were subjected to three hours of investigation before they were left for a lunch break.
Talking to reporters in the afternoon, emerging from the investigation, Palekar said that he has been asked to produce the data which he will get and return back to the ED.
“I cannot reveal what the investigation is about. I have joined investigation. Whatever they are asking me, I am answering their questions,” he said.
Palekar said that whatever data the ED has a asked, he will bring it. “They are doing their job, I will do my job as a citizen,” he added.
Other leaders who arrived from the ED office refused to speak to the media.
Several AAP leaders including MLAs Venzy Viegas and Cruz Silva were present outside the ED office on Thursday.
Viegas said that the attempts are being made to get some statements from “some people” so that they can put up the case refusing bail to Arvind Kejriwal.
Viegas said that the fear psychosis is being created amongst the AAP leaders. “There are news spread on various social media that the sleuths will knock the door of both the MLAs during Good Friday (the religious day for Christian) and will arrest me,” he said.
He claimed that this entire gimmick is to divert attention from the electoral bond issue.
