Arvind Kejriwal ED questioning Updates: Delhi CM skips probe agency summons today

Defying the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) summons, Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday took part in a roadshow for the party's Assembly elections candidate in Madhya Pradesh's Singrauli city.

He was accompanied by Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann.

Hours after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wrote to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) seeking withdrawal of its "vague and motivated" notice summoning him for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra attacked him saying he was the "ocean of corruption, the source of corruption" in the case.

Patra accused Kejriwal of "running away" from the summons.

"Today you don't want to appear before the Enforcement Directorate and ask how in what capacity have you been called?...You have been called by ED as you are the ocean of corruption, as the source of corruption from where corruption emerges in Delhi," Patra told reporters, while referring to Kejriwal's letter to ED.

The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday alleged there was a "political conspiracy" behind the Enforcement Directorate's summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and claimed that opposition leaders were being deliberately targeted.

Kejriwal, who is also the AAP national convener, on Thursday did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in the Delhi excise policy-linked case and wrote to the agency demanding the withdrawal of the notice summoning him, claiming it was "illegal and politically motivated".

Madhya Pradesh: AAP national convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal says, "...Just like the people of Delhi and Punjab did charisma, the people of Madhya Pradesh will do charisma in the coming days... I don't know whether I will be in jail or somewhere else on the day of counting, but everyone should say that Arvind Kejriwal came to Singrauli and we gave him a historic victory."

On ED summon to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, BJP national general secretary Dushyant Gautam says, "When constitutional agencies call you, you should go and clear that why did ED summon you. The reason is that the leaders who are inside (the jail) must have given the documents, there must be some evidence. If there isn't any, deny it there. But the country will function as per the Constitution. Not going there, I think, is unfortunate. He has gone to Madhya Pradesh for campaigning, it is good. He has also taken his driver, pilot with him. They don't have to govern Punjab or provide relief to the people there, so he has kept him as the pilot - both Punjab and Delhi get affected. It is the misfortune of democracy..."

From October 29, (BJP MP) Manoj Tiwari has been regularly saying that AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal will soon be arrested. Earlier, Sambit Patra claimed that Manish Sisodia destroyed 150 phones. However, no such argument was given in court. At a press conference today, he repeatedly asked why Sisodia was denied a bail. Why didn't he ask why Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh is out (of jail) and why Sisodia is inside (jail)," says AAP leader Priyanka Kakkar at a press conference

Arvind Kejriwal failing to appear before the Enforcement Directorate on Thursday proves that he has done something wrong, said BJP National Spokesperson Sambit Patra in a press conference. Patra also said that Kejriwal, who used to hold press conferences exposing other political leaders is now the "source and the ocean of corruption."

"It will not be an exaggeration to say that the kingpin of the liquor scam has admitted that he had a hand in the liquor scam. I too am involved in the recklessness and corruption behind it. Otherwise, what was the need to get scared? He would go in thumping his chest, sit in front of them, answer the questions and come out smiling and doing drama as he often does. But today he could not do so because he knows the reality." said Patra.

Delhi Minister and AAP MLA Saurabh Bharadwaj took a dig at the BJP-led centre and said that even the British did not misuse the agencies as much as the central government is doing.

Speaking to ANI on the raids at AAP leader Raaj Kumar Anand's premises, Bharadwaj said, "The fault of Raaj Kumar Anand is that he is an AAP MLA and a minister from the party. Even during the British era, if you had to search someone's house, you needed a search warrant from the court. Even the British believed that if you give the right to the police or any agency to enter someone's house for a search."

On ED summon to Delhi CM-AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, "They had once summoned Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi too. I too was jailed. Several of Maharashtra's leaders were jailed. Two West Bengal ministers have been nabbed by ED. Two Tamil Nadu ministers are in jail. Wherever the Opposition is strong and the INDIA leaders who are strong - their sword will be unleashed on them (Opposition). Mamata Banerjee said - arrest everyone, empty the entire country and hold elections. This is what the BJP wants - to jail the entire Opposition and hold elections."

"Arvind Kejriwal has mercilessly looted Delhi. The liquor scam is merely of 50-100 crores, it's worth thousands of crores," says Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, Leader of the Opposition in the Delhi Legislative Assembly, on reports of Delhi CM skipping ED summons in connection with the excise policy case.

On ED summons to Delhi CM & AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal, Uttar Pradesh Deputy CM Brajesh Pathak said to ANI, "Our Government is continuously working against corruption with a zero-tolerance policy. Government has never compromised with it..."

"If not today, then tomorrow, he (Arvind Kejriwal) will have to appear (before the ED) and tell the truth. Truth always prevails. I personally request him to speak the truth all at once," says BJP leader Harsh Vardhan at the party's protest against Delhi CM at Rajghat.

"If the ED has summoned you, and you know you are right, then join the investigation. Rahul and Sonia Gandhi have done it in the past. Have the courage to fight BJP," says Congress national secretary Abhishek Dutt said to PTI on reports of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal not appearing before the ED today.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal responds to ED, "...Being the National Convener and a star campaigner of the AAP, I am required to travel for campaigning and to provide political guidance to my field workers of AAP. As the CM of Delhi, I have governance and official commitments for which my presence is required, particularly in view of Diwali coming up...Please recall the said summons, which is to say the least is vague and motivated and unsustainable in law."

On ED raids at Delhi Minister Raaj Kumar Anand's properties, BJP leader Shehzad Poonawalla told ANI, " AAP has to realise today is not the time for 'Dharna' and drama. Today is the time to fulfil your responsibilities, which means you go and answer the agencies and don't play the victimhood card... Stop playing this vendetta card all the time. Are the courts doing vendetta against you? Is the Supreme Court doing vendetta when it says that a liquor scam has taken place, Rs.338 crore money trail is established... Are the courts against you when they deny bail to Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh for months on end... Those who started their journey against corruption have now come to justification for corruption... Kejriwal should give his resignation for defending the 'Kattar' dishonest..."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday targeted the Bharatiya Janata Paty-led central government, alleging that the party was attempting to silence all opposition parties before the next Lok Sabha election and wanted to arrest all opposition leaders before the polls.

"They (the BJP) are attempting to silence all opposition parties before the next year's election. They want to arrest all opposition leaders before next year's polls, so that the entire country becomes empty and they can take all the votes themselves," Banerjee said while addressing the reporters at the state secretariat 'Nabanna'.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will not appear before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning and will visit Madhya Pradesh for poll campaigning, AAP sources said on Thursday.

"He will be going to Madhya Pradesh's Singrauli where he will take part in a roadshow along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. He will leave for Madhya Pradesh in a while," a party source said.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) had summoned Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for questioning in a money laundering case linked to the alleged excise policy scam. He was supposed to depose at the probe agency's Delhi office at 11 am on Thursday.

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) conducted raids at the residence of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Delhi Labour and Employment Minister Raaj Kumar Anand in the Civil Lines area on Thursday.

Searches started early this morning at 9 am at premises linked to him.

This comes ahead of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's questioning by the ED today.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal will not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) today. He will hold a road show, along with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, in Singrauli, Madhya Pradesh today

The Aam Aadmi Party on Wednesday alleged that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will be the first to be arrested as part of the BJP's plan to target top INDIA alliance leaders ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

“Now after the formation of the INDIA alliance, the BJP is rattled. We have learnt from sources that they have hatched a plan to target top leaders from the INDIA alliance. The first arrest in this plan will be of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal,” Raghav Chadha said.

Reacting to the Enforcement Directorate's summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah asked if there is any opposition leader who has not received these summons.

"What's new in this? Which opposition leader or party has not received these summons?... Arvind Kejriwal is not the first leader of AAP to face this...," Omar Abdullah said.

The 15-party United Opposition Forum, Assam has condemned the ED summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and demanded that it be immediately withdrawn, the forum's chief spokesperson Akhil Gogoi said.

Gogoi alleged that the ruling BJP was trying to "destroy opposition unity" of the INDIA alliance and was "using CBI and ED" against members of the bloc.

''On behalf of the 15 opposition parties in Assam, I condemn the ED summons to Delhi CM on November 2 and demand that it be immediately withdrawn," the Raijor Dal chief said on Wednesday.