BJP says Delhi CM is running from ED, AAP claims conspiracy to jail him

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday once again refused to appear before the Enforcement Directorate

After Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal skipped the summons of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for the third time in connection with a money laundering probe linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy, AAP leaders claimed that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was “afraid of Kejriwal” and wants him arrested to keep him from campaigning in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

Security personnel outside the residence of Arvind Kejriwal on Wednesday. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

However, senior BJP leaders hit back and said that Kejriwal evading ED summons citing “weak excuses” shows “he does not trust the judicial system”.

Soon after Kejriwal responded to the summons through a letter, senior AAP leaders Saurabh Bharadwaj, Atishi, and Gopal Rai held back-to-back press conferences attacking the BJP over the summons.

“It is a conspiracy to keep Kejriwal away from campaigning before the upcoming Lok Sabha election by putting him in jail,” Bharadwaj said in a press conference at AAP headquarters.

“It is surprising that till now, despite repeated pleas, neither ED nor the central government clarified in what capacity they are summoning Kejriwal. Neither is he a witness, nor an accused. Questions also arise on the timing of the summons... Just before the Lok Sabha elections, when all the parties and the central government itself are readying for elections. BJP is conspiring to arrest Kejriwal before the Lok Sabha election so that he is not able to campaign,” alleged Bharadwaj.

Meanwhile, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said Kejriwal does not have the moral right to remain the CM of Delhi. “Kejriwal should explain how the notice given to Kejriwal in the same case based on the notices to Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh can be legally wrong,” said Sachdeva.

The BJP and the AAP have been sparring over the excise policy case since it was registered in 2022.

Delhi law minister Atishi said the BJP was using the Central Bureau of Investigation and ED as “political weapons” against opposition leaders.

“Illegal summons are sent to leaders of the INDIA Alliance, raids, and arrests are conducted without sufficient evidence, and these charges are often dropped when leaders join the BJP... As soon as the opposition leader under scanner joins BJP, all charges are cleared,” Atishi said, calling the summons to Kejriwal unlawful.

In a separate press conference, AAP minister and Delhi convenor Gopal Rai said Kejriwal has sent a response to ED asking why they have summoned him. “Despite repeated objections raised by the CM, ED is not providing any response and instead, the BJP is responding,” said Rai.

Delhi BJP secretary Harish Khurana said Kejriwal was trying to run away from ED. “The way Arvind Kejriwal is running away from the law proves that he has done something wrong. He will have to answer several questions, but he is trying to run away. If Kejriwal is clean he should not be afraid and rather go and answer the ED questions. Even if Kejriwal does not appear before the ED, the law will take its own course,” Khurana said.