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Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Skips ED Summons In Money Laundering Case Amid Political Controversy
- Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's absence from Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons linked to a money laundering case sparks a political dispute.
- Kejriwal alleges political motives and interference from the BJP, while the investigation continues, raising concerns of a targeted political campaign.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was notably absent from the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday. These summons were connected to a money laundering case related to the alleged liquor policy scandal, as revealed by sources reporting to India Today TV.
Kejriwal responded to the investigative agency with a written statement asserting that the summons were both illegal and politically motivated. He went further, alleging that these summons were orchestrated at the behest of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The head of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) expressed his belief that the ED's move to summon him was a deliberate attempt to hinder his election campaign in four states. In response, Kejriwal urgently called for the withdrawal of these summons by the ED.
Sources indicate that the ED is currently reviewing Kejriwal's written communication and may consider issuing fresh summons to the Delhi Chief Minister in the near future. Decisions regarding these potential new summonses will ultimately rest with senior officials of the Enforcement Directorate.
It's worth noting that sources have dismissed Kejriwal's claims that the ED's summons were politically motivated and illegal, considering them unfounded.
At the time of these developments, Arvind Kejriwal was en route to Madhya Pradesh for his campaign activities leading up to the Assembly elections.
The case for which Kejriwal was summoned by the ED is the same one that led to the arrest of his former deputy, Manish Sisodia, in February, as well as the arrest of AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh on October 4. In April, Kejriwal underwent an extensive nine-hour questioning session by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in connection with this case.
This case pertains to the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22, which has since been revoked. Allegations suggest that the policy favored specific liquor dealers, a claim vehemently denied by the AAP.
Furthermore, on the previous day, Kejriwal's party raised concerns about a supposed strategy by the BJP to target key leaders of the India alliance ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. AAP leader Raghav Chadha asserted that the BJP was rattled following the formation of the India grouping and claimed that sources indicated a plan to initiate the arrests of top India alliance leaders. He explicitly mentioned that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was expected to be the first to be arrested as part of this alleged scheme.
Chadha went on to state that the BJP, recognizing its potential loss of all seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi, was preparing to have Kejriwal arrested, presumably with the aim of preventing AAP from contesting the upcoming elections.
