BJP wants me arrested so I can’t campaign for Lok Sabha polls: Kejriwal on ED summons
NEW DELHI, JAN 4: A day after skipping the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday said he has not been involved in any corruption.
Addressing a press conference here, he accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of wanting to tarnish his image. Kejriwal said that illegal summons were sent to me by the Enforcement Directorate.
“BJP’s aim is not to probe me, but not to let me campaign for Lok Sabha elections. If there was corruption, where did the money go?,” Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said about the ED summons in the liquor policy case.
The development comes amid the AAP leader’s allegation that the Enforcement Directorate is likely to arrest Kejriwal in connection with the excise policy-linked money laundering case.
Earlier on Wednesday, Kejriwal accused the probe agency of being “opaque and arbitrary” and asked the probe agency if it was issuing summons to tarnish his reputation. In response to the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate to appear before it in person on Wednesday, the AAP Supremo has shot off a letter to the investigating agency, condemning the move as motivated and made for vexatious considerations.
Addressing the letter to the Assistant Director, Directorate of Enforcement, Kejriwal has given the reference of the two previous summons issued by the ED on 30.10.2023 and 18.12.2023 as well as the latest one issued on 22.12.2023, asking him to appear in person on 03.01.2024.
“It is a matter of concern that despite my comprehensive response(s) bringing to your notice critical dimensions and legal objections involved in issuing summons to me to appear ‘in person’ in your purported exercise of powers under Section 50 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (‘PMLA’), you have chosen not to respond. Therefore, I reiterate that the summons are motivated and issued for vexatious considerations,” said Kejriwal.
He said that from the summons, it is not clear in what capacity he is being summoned, that is, as a witness or a suspect in the case and the summons fail to provide details about the File bearing No. ECIR/HIUII/ 14/2022 or the reason “why I have been summoned therein, or any details thereof”.
Kejriwal further wrote in his letter that the summons appear to be like fishing and roving enquiry as it does not specify whether I am being summoned as an individual or in my official capacity as CM of Delhi or as National Convenor of AAP.
Reminding the ED official of the objections he had raised in his reply on 20.12.2023 to the earlier ED summon dated 18.12.2023, the Chief Minister questioned the motive of the ED in seeking his appearance when the PMLA provided otherwise.
“It is not discernible as to how, why and under what circumstances has your office sought my appearance only in person when the Act itself provides for appearance through authorised agents. What is the compelling necessity that your office has chosen to call me in person without specifying any reason or necessity thereof?” replied Kejriwal in his letter to the investigative agency.
The 55-year-old Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor refused to depose before the Enforcement Directorate for the third time on Wednesday.
-PTI
