Arvind Kejriwal Likely To Miss Fourth ED Summons Amidst Goa Visit And Lok Sabha Preparations

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is expected to once again avoid appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the excise policy case, marking the fourth instance. The ED had issued the latest summons last week, instructing Mr. Kejriwal to attend today. However, sources indicate that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader is likely to miss it due to his scheduled visit to Goa to engage with party workers and oversee preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

During a recent Delhi government event where he bid farewell to elderly pilgrims heading to Gujarat, Mr. Kejriwal was questioned about the latest summons. In response, he stated, "We will do whatever needs to be done according to the law."

This situation follows Mr. Kejriwal's previous avoidance of ED summons issued on November 2 and December 21 of the previous year. On January 3, he cited Rajya Sabha polls and Republic Day preparations as reasons for not attending. Despite a fresh summons for January 18 or 19, it is anticipated that he will skip this one as well.

Mr. Kejriwal has previously raised concerns about the ED's motivations, alleging that the agency has taken on the roles of "judge, jury, and executioner." He claimed that the BJP-led government aims to arrest him to hinder his participation in the Lok Sabha polls. The AAP leader asserted that the summons were illegal, with BJP's intent being to prevent him from campaigning.

ED sources contend that the summonses were legally issued and argue that Mr. Kejriwal's name has been mentioned multiple times in charge sheets related to the excise policy case. The agency maintains that the accused were in contact with him during the formulation of the now-abandoned excise policy for Delhi.

The ED's chargesheet also alleges that AAP utilized "proceeds of crime" in its Goa election campaign. The Delhi excise policy was nullified amid corruption allegations, leading to the CBI taking over the case at the recommendation of Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena. Subsequently, the ED initiated a probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to trace the money trail.