Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal skipped from appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday for questioning in connection with an excise policy-related case. He penned a letter to the agency, insisting on the withdrawal of the summoning notice, asserting its alleged “illegality.” Instead of going to the ED office, Kejriwal went to Madhya Pradesh for a political roadshow.
According to insights from Legally Speaking sources, the Enforcement Directorate is now anticipated to reissue summons to him. In fact, the ED can issue two more summons, and if Kejriwal skips those, the agency has the option for issuing a non-bailable warrant. On the other hand, Kejriwal can approach the court for a pre-arrest bail. Kejriwal contended that the summons was “illegitimate and driven by political motivations,” evidently designed to impede his involvement in election campaigning in the states scheduled for polls. He further claimed it was “ambiguous, prejudiced, and legally unsustainable,” asserting that the notice was dispatched based on extraneous considerations influenced by the BJP.
Kejriwal raised a pertinent question about the capacity in which he was called for questioning by the investigative agency, stating, “The said summons is not clear as to the capacity in which I am being summoned, i.e., as a witness or a suspect.” He also pointed out the absence of specific details or reasons for his summoning, characterising it as a “fishing and roving” expedition by the Enforcement Directorate.
Kejriwal stressed his dual roles as the Chief Minister of Delhi and the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, underscoring the necessity for him to travel as a “star campaigner” for his party in Mizoram, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, and Telangana, where Assembly elections are slated for this month. Furthermore, he cited his official obligations as the Chief Minister of Delhi, particularly in light of the upcoming Diwali festival in the second week of November, and urged the Enforcement Directorate to rescind its summons.
Sources within the Enforcement Directorate hinted at the possibility of issuing a new date for Kejriwal’s summons in the near future, considering that the Supreme Court had recently acknowledged the prosecution’s assurance that the case’s trial would conclude within the next 6-8 months.
The central agency had initially summoned Kejriwal for questioning in relation to the alleged Delhi excise policy case and to record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It is worth noting that Kejriwal’s party colleagues, Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, currently find themselves in judicial custody in connection with this case.
After the arrest of Sisodia and Sanjay Singh, the BJP has been targeting Kejriwal and claiming that the corruption happened in the liquor policy at the behest of Kejriwal. A few days ago, Sisodia was denied bail by the Supreme Court in a case of Rs 338 crore alleged money laundering under PMLA. The AAP had alleged a sinister agenda on the part of the BJP to target top leaders of the I.N.D.I.A bloc ahead of Lok Sabha elections.