Delhi liquor case: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will once again skip the summons by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with the Delhi excise case. He was asked by the central agency to appear on Wednesday, however, this is the third time he skipped the summons. The Delhi Chief Minister termed the ED's summons as "illegal."
Meanwhile, the AAP sources said the party's chief is ready to cooperate with ED, but the notice is "illegal" as it has been sent with the intention to arrest him to prevent him from election campaigning ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Security heightened outside ED headquarters
A large number of police and paramilitary forces have been deployed outside the ED headquarters in the national capital. Congress leader Udit Raj claimed that the ED is levelling "false allegations" against Opposition leaders. "ED is carrying out raids at the associates of Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren. ED notices were sent to former Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel right before the elections and false allegations were put on him. Arvind Kejriwal is also a part of the opposition alliance...It is true that these agencies are not doing their work but putting pressure on the opposition leaders..." he added.
Kejriwal skips third ED summons
It should be mentioned here that this was the third ED notice to Kejriwal, after he refused to appear before the federal agency on two earlier summonses for November 2 and December 21. While refusing to depose on the first summons, the Delhi Chief Minister had cited the reason of his busy schedule in the wake-up to the Assembly elections in five states. Meanwhile, on missing out the second summons, he wrote to the investigating officer of the case stating the notice issued against him for personal appearance was "not in consonance with the law" and it should be withdrawn. He also alleged that summons were issued at the behest of political rivals who wish to silence the voice of the opposition in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
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