'Vipasana, Goa More Important...': BJP Slams Kejriwal As ED Issues 4th Summons In Liquor Policy Case

The Bharatiya Janata Party has again targeted Aam Aadmi Party convenor and Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, claiming that he will miss the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) fourth summons as well.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) trained its guns on AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued the fourth summons for questioning in the Delhi Liquor Policy case. Hitting out at the Delhi Chief Minister for missing the previous summons, the BJP said that Kejriwal is "running away" from the investigation.

Union Minister Anurag Thakur, while addressing the media, said, "From 2011-14, Arvind Kejriwal would talk big. At that time, he used to talk about raising his voice against the corruption of Congress; today, he himself is involved in corruption. Aisa koi bacha nahi jisko Arvind Kejriwal ki party ne thaga nahi (There is no one left who has not been cheated by Arvind Kejriwal's party). Now the question arises: why is he running away from investigation?", as per news agency ANI. 

Earlier, Kejriwal was summoned by the ED on January 3. CM Kejriwal, who is also the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been asked to appear at the agency's Delhi headquarters on January 18. However, AAP sources informed PTI that Kejriwal is scheduled to be in Goa from January 18 to 20 for a three-day visit, during which he intends to assess his party's preparations for the Lok Sabha elections.

The 55-year-old leader refused to attend the ED proceedings for the third occasion on January 3. He emphasized that the agency's approach of "non-disclosure and non-response" lacked legal, equitable, or justifiable grounds. The leader contended that the ED's unwavering stance amounted to taking on the roles of judge, jury, and executioner.

Like Thakur, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva told ANI, "Every time he [Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal] tries to skip the investigation. You [Kejriwal] are running away from an investigation because you are scared of answering the questions."

BJP leader Bansuri Swaraj said that it was ‘shameful’ that Kejriwal was running away from the investigation and that everyone should appear before the ED if summoned. “If you are honest then you must join the investigation. The laws are equally applicable to all.” Swaraj was quoted as saying by ANI.

BJP leader Harish Khurana told PTI that Kejriwal finds the elections more important than respecting the law.

“ED has summoned Arvind Kejriwal for the fourth time, and I have heard that he is on a Goa visit. Vipassana, Goa, and the elections in Madhya Pradesh are more important for him than to respect the law,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.

The chief minister had previously been summoned to provide testimony on November 2 and December 21, 2023.

The ED has included Kejriwal's name multiple times in the charge sheets related to the case, stating that the accused individuals were in touch with him regarding the formulation of the now-abandoned Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.