On Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued a summon to the Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal for the fifth time for having a connection with a money laundering case linked to the Delhi Excise Policy Case. However, Kejriwal has skipped all four summonses by the central agency, but the fresh summon is for February 2 (Friday).
Number of Summons to Kejriwal
Arvind Kejriwal was supposed to appear before the ED on January 18, when the probe agency issued a fourth summons to him. However, he skipped it and went for a three-day political visit to Goa with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and other leaders. Before this, the agency issued a third summon on January 3. But he again skipped the summon calling it ‘illegal’ and ‘political vendetta’, and cited the reason for preparation for the Rajya Sabha election and Republic Day celebration.
Moreover, he even declined to appear before the ED, on December 21 and November 2, 2023. During the second summon in December, instead of appearing before the ED he chooses to go for a 10-day visit to the Vipassana Meditation Centre.
Reason Behind Kejriwal skipping ED summons continuously
Kejriwal challenges the legal basis of the summons, questioning its legitimacy and transparency. He even claims that the summons lacks specific details about the case file or his exact role. He views the summons as politically motivated and aims to hamper the image of him and AAP ahead of the Lok Sabha election, citing the timing and lack of clarity as evidence of this agenda.
Further, he even offered to answer in written format instead of appearing in person, citing his official duties and other commitments. Even the AAP also condemns the summon and emphasizes a similar investigation against other politicians.
AAP’s stand on ED summons
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) stand on the central agency’s summons to Arvind Kejriwal has been criticizing the opposition. The party alleges that the summons is a large part of a political campaign to silence opposition and target Kejriwal due to his rising popularity and political challenge.
Moreover, they even questioned the lack of transparency in the investigation, stating they haven’t provided details or Kejriwal’s role in the Excise case. The party highlights conducting similar investigations against other opposition leaders while suggesting that Kejriwal is being targeted and expressed concern over the legality of the summon.
Possible Implications
If Kejriwal continues to skip the summons, the ED could seek an arrest warrant, escalating the situation further. Also, his non-cooperation could hinder the process of ED’s investigation into the alleged money laundering case. Overall, the situation is uncertain, but it could be significant depending on the outcome.
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