The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday said that Delhi Chief Minister and the party's convener Arvind Kejriwal has replied to the Enforcement Directorate's summons in the excise policy case. The AAP said that the BJP's only aim is to get Kejriwal arrested using the central agency to prevent him from campaigning for the party for the upcoming elections.
In a statement, the party said: "BJP wants to stop Arvind Kejriwal from campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections. The Enforcement Directorate has said that Arvind Kejriwal is not an accused in the liquor policy case. Then why issue the summons and threaten him with arrest?"
"When corrupt political leaders join the BJP, their cases are closed. We have not indulged in any corruption and none of our leaders will join the BJP," the AAP further said.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was issued the fourth summons in the liquor policy case on January 13. He was asked to appear before the central agency for questioning on Thursday, January 18. Kejriwal had skipped the previous summons that asked him to appear before the ED on November 2 and December 21, 2023, and January 3, 2024.
Former Deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh are also imprisoned over corruption charges in the liquor policy case.
Last week, the AAP's I.N.D.I.A partner Congress said that Kejriwal should appear before the ED just as Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi did when they were called for questioning in the National Herald corruption case. Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said that Kejriwal should appear before the central agency and put across his views.
Earlier, too, Kejriwal wrote to the ED's assistant director, stating that the Election Commission of India had chosen to conduct the Rajya Sabha elections from the National Capital Territory of Delhi and voting will begin on January 19.