Delhi excise policy scam case: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) asking it to take back the summons to him in connection with the excise policy scam case. This comes as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief was scheduled to appear before the probe agency on Wednesday at 11 am.
In his reply to the ED, the Delhi Chief Minister termed the summon notice as "illegal and politically motivated." "The notice was sent at the behest of the BJP. Notice was sent to ensure that I am unable to go for election campaigning in four poll-bound states. ED should withdraw the notice immediately," he added.
The Delhi Chief Minister has been issued the summons under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). This was the first time that he has been summoned by the ED. According to the official sources, the agency is now expected to issue fresh summons to him.
What Kejriwal stated in his letter to ED?
In his letter, Kejriwal also stated that the said summons does not specify whether he is being summoned as an individual or in his official capacity as Chief Minister of Delhi or as National Convenor of AAP. He also said that the summons appears to be in the "nature of a fishing and roving inquiry."
"The said summons appears to be motivated and issued for extraneous considerations. Simultaneous to the summons, in the afternoon of 30.10.2023, BJP leaders started making statements that soon I would be summoned and arrested. By the evening of that day, I received your summons. It is thus apparent that the said summons was leaked to select BJP leaders to malign my image and reputation and has been issued at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre," he stated.
"I am the incumbent Chief Minister of the Govt. of NCT of Delhi and National Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, i.e. the ruling party in the State of NCT of Delhi and Punjab. The fact that there are 5 states in the Country, i.e. Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Telangana which are going to election shortly and Election Commission has already announced the dates. Elections are in November and the results will be announced on 3 December, 2023. Being the National Convenor and a star campaigner of the Aam Aadmi Party, a National Party, which is contesting elections, I am required to travel for campaigning and to provide political guidance to my field workers of Aam Aadmi Party," the letter stated.
"As the Chief Minister of the State of NCT of Delhi, I have governance and official commitments, for which my presence is required, particularly in view of the Diwali festivities coming up in the second week of November 2023," the letter further read.
CBI questioned Kejriwal in April
After being asked around 56 questions by the CBI in April regarding the liquor scam, Kejriwal had described the entire matter as "fabricated" and an attempt to destabilize the AAP. This is the first time that he has been summoned by the ED. In its chargesheets submitted in the case, the ED mentioned Kejriwal's name several times and claimed that the accused were in touch with him about the Delhi Excise Policy 2021–2022.
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