Kejriwal skips 4th ED summon; AAP says probe agency wants to arrest CM before LS polls

The Delhi chief minister skipped the three previous summons on November 2, December 22, and on January 3

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday once again called the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons in the excise policy matter “illegal and politically motivated”, questioning its timing just months before the Lok Sabha elections.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal. (ANI Photo)

Kejriwal, after skipping the fourth ED summon on Thursday, was scheduled to leave on a three-day trip to Goa with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MPs Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak.

“The purpose of the BJP is to arrest Arvind Kejriwal and stop him from campaigning in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The ED has written that Arvind Kejriwal is not an accused, then why have the summons been issued? Corrupt leaders join the BJP and cases against them are closed. We have not done any corruption and no AAP leader will join the BJP,” an AAP official said.

Kejriwal skipped the three previous summons on November 2, December 22, and on January 3.

On November 2, the date of the first summon, Kejriwal travelled to poll-bound Madhya Pradesh to address a rally and alleged that the ED was acting at the behest of the BJP to malign his image. On December 22, he was in Punjab on a meditation retreat, and on January 3, the Delhi CM cited preparations for Republic Day celebrations and Rajya Sabha polls for three seats in the Capital.

Kejriwal and his party have repeatedly objected to the summons, stating that it was not clear whether he was asked to appear as a witness or a suspect, as chief minister or as AAP chief, and that the agency has not made any details available on its line of questioning.

Former Delhi deputy CM Manish Sisodia and AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Singh have been in judicial custody in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.

“Kejriwal has again skipped the ED summons by making some excuses. Vipassana and political activities are important for Kejriwal but respecting the law is not important for him. Kejriwal may make excuses, but he will have to honour the summons of the ED and the law will take its course. Kejriwal must answer a lot of questions related to the excise policy,” said Delhi BJP secretary Harish Khurana.