On Wednesday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal chose to skip the third summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to the Delhi excise policy case. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) responded to the summons in a letter to the ED, asserting that Kejriwal was willing to cooperate with the investigation but deemed the agency’s notice as illegal.
Accusing the ED of having intentions to arrest Kejriwal, the AAP alleged in their letter, “They want to stop him from the election campaign.” The party further questioned the timing of the notice, suggesting that it was a deliberate attempt to hinder Kejriwal’s involvement in the upcoming elections.
The ED had summoned Kejriwal for questioning regarding a money laundering case linked to the excise policy. This marked the third instance where Kejriwal refused to appear before the federal agency, with previous summonses dated November 2 and December 21. In his earlier responses, Kejirwal had criticized the summons as “vague, motivated, and unsustainable in law.”
Commenting on Kejriwal’s decision, Congress leader Udit Raj asserted that investigative agencies were exerting pressure on opposition leaders, noting that AAP is part of the Opposition’s INDIA bloc. He cited instances involving other opposition figures, alleging similar tactics by the ED.
Meanwhile, the BJP countered Kejriwal’s stance, alleging that his refusal to appear before the ED indicated a desire to conceal something. Shehzad Poonawalla, BJP national spokesperson, claimed, “Once again Arvind Kejriwal has skipped the ED summons. He is absconding like a criminal because there is something to hide.” Poonawalla also referenced the denial of bail to Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, stating that courts had established a money trail in their cases.
As the political tussle intensifies, the evasion of the ED summons by Kejriwal becomes a focal point, with both the AAP and BJP presenting contrasting narratives on the implications of his decision.
