Arvind Kejriwal skips ED summons for 6th time

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday (February 19) for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the excise policy matter, with his party terming the summons as "illegal".

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said the Enforcement Directorate (ED) should wait for the court's decision instead of repeatedly sending summonses to Kejriwal.

Kejriwal has been summoned six times by the ED. The agency had earlier this month approached a city court after Kejriwal skipped its multiple summonses related to the case.

Kejriwal told reporters at the Delhi Assembly that reply to the ED were being given as per the law.

"We are replying as per the law. Now, ED has filed a case in the court and they should wait for the decision of the court before issuing any fresh summons," he said.

On Saturday, the Rouse Avenue court had granted exemption to Kejriwal from personal appearance for the day in connection with the complaint filed by the central agency.

The application moved by Kejriwal's counsel stated that the Budget Session of the Delhi assembly has commenced on February 15 and shall continue till the first week of March.

He will physically appear before the court on the next date of hearing on March 16, it said.

The AAP leadership, including Kejriwal, has been alleging that the BJP wanted to arrest him to topple his government in Delhi and finish the party.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva claimed that even the court has admitted that the ED summonses to Kejriwal were legal and he should cooperate in the probe.

"Its contempt of court if Kejriwal is terming the ED summonses illegal despite the court's observation. The Delhi chief minister is not ready to accept that scam has been done in the excise policy. The probe agencies are doing their job and he will also be behind the bars like Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh," Sachdeva said.

AAP leaders Sisodia and Singh apart from communications in-charge of the party Vijay Nair have been arrested in this case by the ED till now.

ED sources said the agency is expected to issue fresh summons to Kejriwal for questioning in the excise policy case.

It is alleged that the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP.

The policy was scrapped after Delhi LG V K Saxena in July, 2022, recommended a CBI probe into alleged irregularities and lapses in its implementation. After the CBI, the ED also registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in the matter.

(With agency inputs)