'Summons Leaked To Malign Me, Notice At BJP's Behest': Kejriwal Tears Into ED, Skips Summons

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal said that it was not clear if he was being called as a "witness" or "suspect" in the Delhi excise policy case by the agency.

Arvind Kejriwal responds to ED notice in liquor policy case.

Source : PTI

Arvind Kejriwal ED Notice: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday called the notice by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) "illegal", alleging that it was sent to him at the "behest of the BJP". He said that he was served the notice in the liquor policy case so that he could be stopped from campaigning in the poll-bound states, reported ANI. Kejriwal was summoned by the federal agency to appear before it on Nov 2. However, the CM skipped the summons and left for Madhya Pradesh where he will hold a roadshow in Singrauli.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has earlier said that the CM might be arrested by the agency. 

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal responds to ED, "...Being the National Convener and a star campaigner of the AAP, I am required to travel for campaigning and to provide political guidance to my field workers of AAP. As the CM of Delhi, I have governance and official commitments for… pic.twitter.com/piPS5D5kMB

— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2023

 

Kejriwal's Point-By-Point Response To ED Notice

• Kejriwal said he received ED's summons dated 30.10.2023 bearing F. No. ECIR/HIUII/14/2022 ("said summons"). "Vide the said summons, I have been directed to appear before your good-self on 02.11.2023 at 11:30 am. The said summons have been issued u/s 50 PMLA in relation to a File bearing F. No. ECIR/HIUII/14/2022," he mentioned at the beginning of the letter.

 

• The Delhi CM wrote: "The said summons is not clear as to the capacity in which I am being summoned i.e. as a witness or a suspect in the above-mentioned case; The said summons fails to provide details in relation to the File bearing F. No. ECIR/HIUII/14/2022 or the reason that I have been summoned therein, or any details thereof; The said summons does not specify whether I am being summoned as an individual or in my official capacity as Chief Minister of Delhi or as National Convenor of AAP and appears to be in the nature of a fishing and roving inquiry."
  
  
• He further mentioned that the said summons appear 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 wrote in the letter. "Illustratively, BJP MP Sh. Manoj Tiwari openly stated in the afternoon of 30.10.2023, i.e. the same day on which the said summons have been issued to me, that I will be arrested and the same has been widely reported in the media," Kejriwal added.

 

• Explaining about his schedule to ED, he said, "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." He added, "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."

 

• He said that as the Chief Minister of the State of NCT of Delhi, he has "governance and official commitments", for which his presence is required, "particularly in view of the Diwali festivities coming up in the second week of November, 2023."

 

• "In view of the above, please recall the said summons, which is to say the least is vague and motivated and I am advised, unsustainable in law," the CM concluded.