Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal ignored two previous summons on November 2 and on December 22, calling them “illegal and politically motivated”
New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has declined to appear for questioning for a third time in the money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise policy 2021-22 while pledging cooperation in the Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s probe into the matter, people aware of the matter said on Wednesday.
The investigators received Kejriwal’s reply on WhatsApp, maintaining the summons to him was illegal. Officials said the investigators will now discuss the reply with the agency’s brass and legal experts for the next steps to be taken in the matter.
The agency has said that it wants to question Kejriwal on the formulation of policy, meetings held before it was finalised, and allegations of bribery.
A ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) functionary said the intention is to arrest Kejriwal to stop him from the 2024 national election campaign. “Why has the notice been sent before the elections?”
Kejriwal ignored two previous summons on November 2 and on December 22, calling them “illegal and politically motivated”.
In his response to the earlier summons, Kejriwal wrote to the ED on December 22 calling himself a conscientious law-abiding ordinary citizen. “I do not shirk away from complying with any summons issued in compliance with law, but your summons is (I am advised) not in consonance with law. The fact that you have deliberately sought my appearance only in person without specifying any reason or necessity…when the said Act itself provides for appearance through authorised persons, is indicative of the motive to harass and embarrass me.”
