ED summons Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, AAP alleges political interference
Feb 22, 2024
New Delhi [India], February 22 : The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has issued its seventh summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, responding to this, Delhi Minister Gopal Rai on Wednesday said that the Delhi CM would respond to the summons after legal consultations.
"After having legal consultation we'll reply to the ED summon that came today," Gopal Rai said.
Responding to the summons from the agency, AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj alleged that the summons was political in nature.
"Everyone understands that if there is any political move related to AAP, the ED immediately issues summons to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. Just one day ago, the Supreme Court of India showed the mirror to the central government on the Chandigarh mayor polls, their malicious act was caught on camera, and last night itself the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued another summons to Arvind Kejriwal. Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) moved to court regarding the summons and said now court would look into it. The matter went to court, and we respected that. Inside the assembly, Arvind Kejriwal mentioned that the budget session is on, and he needs time till March 16. The court also granted the same. Now again ED issued the summons, if the agency had to follow its own terms then why did it move to court in the first place? We did not go to court, but ED did... It clearly indicates that PMLA and laws are not behind the agency, however, political intentions are" Bharadwaj said.
Earlier in the day, the Directorate of Enforcement issued the seventh summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to appear before the agency. Sources say the Delhi CM has been asked to appear before the ED on February 26.
On February 14, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had issued a sixth summons to the Delhi Chief Minister in the money laundering probe related to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 case, asking him to join the investigation on February 19.
The fresh summons to the Delhi Chief Minister were issued after he skipped the fifth summons on February 2.
Arvind Kejriwal had earlier skipped five previous summons issued by the ED on February 2, January 18, January 3, November 2 and December 22, calling them "illegal and politically motivated."
