‘Arvind Kejriwal is educated, but…’: BJP leader's ‘disrespect’ charges after fresh ED summons

BJP leader Bansuri Swaraj claimed that Arvind Kejriwal is accountable for the Delhi excise policy case, but he is repeatedly disrespecting the ED summons.

Updated on: Mar 17, 2024, 13:01:36 IST

By HT News Desk

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The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday hit out at the Aam Aadmi Party after the Enforcement Directorate summoned chief minister Arvind Kejriwal in a second money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB) and ninth summons in the now-scrapped Delhi excise policy case.

BJP candidate for Lok Sabha elections Bansuri Swaraj addresses a press conference. (Sanchit Khanna/ Hindustan Times)

BJP leader Bansuri Swaraj claimed that Arvind Kejriwal is accountable for the Delhi excise policy case and he is repeatedly disrespecting the ED summons by not appearing before the probe agency for questioning.

"Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is educated. His entire cabinet is full of educated people... The investigation is being done in the liquor policy case. Arvind Kejriwal becomes accountable and will have to explain why the Aam Aadmi Party is doing so much corruption... When you are sent a summon, it is your responsibility to respect it and respond, but whenever you disrespect the summons, then you are committing a new crime... Arvind Kejriwal has disregarded the last eight summons..." news agency ANI quoted Bansuri Swaraj, who is also contesting the Lok Sabha elections from the New Delhi seat, as saying.

Earlier, reacting to the summons to AAP national convenor in the second case, Delhi minister Atishi told reporters on Sunday that, “Nobody knows what this DJB case is about. This seems to be a backup plan to arrest Arvind Kejriwal anyhow and stop him from campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls.”

Atishi said two summonses asking Kejriwal to appear before the federal agency next week were received hours after the Lok Sabha poll date announcement on Saturday. One of them is related to the excise policy case and the other to the DJB, she added.

The AAP leader charged that the BJP was using ED and CBI as its "goons" to finish off political opponents.

There was no immediate reaction from the ED and the CBI on this.

Arvind Kejriwal has been asked to depose before the central agency at its office on APJ Abdul Kalam Road on Monday, March 18, and record his statement under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), reports claimed.

This is the second case registered under the anti-money laundering law in which the 55-year-old politician has been summoned.

Arvind Kejriwal is already facing summons for questioning in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case. Kejriwal has skipped eight summons in this case till now, terming them illegal. A fresh and ninth such notice in the excise policy case stipulates him to appear before the ED investigating officer on March 21.

(With inputs from agencies)

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