This is the third time Kejriwal has not appeared for questioning. AAP alleges that the ED’s intention is to arrest Kejriwal and that the BJP wants to stop him from campaigning in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal did not appear for questioning by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. Instead, he sent a letter to the agency. This is the third time Kejriwal has not appeared for questioning in the case.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said that while Kejriwal is ready to cooperate with the ED investigation, the summons issued to him are illegal. The party also alleged that the ED’s intention is to arrest Kejriwal and that the BJP wants to stop him from campaigning in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
“The ED is acting at the behest of the BJP government,” AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bharadwaj said. “They are trying to intimidate Kejriwal and stop him from working for the people of Delhi.”
The ED has not commented on the AAP’s allegations.
Kejriwal’s previous non-appearances
The first summons by ED was issued to Kejriwal in October 2023, to appear for questioning on November 2. He skipped questioning and went to Madhya Pradesh for a road show ahead of the Assembly elections in the state. At the time, he had also called the summons politically motivated and the inquiry a “fishing and roving” exercise.
The next summons was sent to him to appear for questioning on December 21. Kejriwal was supposed to leave Delhi for a Vipassana meditation session that day. In the letter to ED, he said the summons was “not based upon any objective or rational yardstick” and called them pure “propaganda.”
Sisodia’s arrest and CBI raid
In May 2023, the CBI raided the office of Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in connection with the excise policy case. Sisodia was later arrested by the ED in June 2023. He is currently out on bail.
The AAP has alleged that the CBI raid and Sisodia’s arrest were politically motivated. The party has also said that the ED is now trying to arrest Kejriwal in the same manner.
What happens next?
According to legal experts, if Kejriwal does not appear for questioning the third time, the ED can continue to issue notices till he complies. The agency can also move an application before a court and ask for a non-bailable warrant against him. Alternatively, investigators can show up at his house and question him there.
It is unclear whether Kejriwal will appear for questioning by the ED in the future. The AAP has said that he is ready to cooperate with the investigation, but only if the summons are issued in a legal manner.
The excise policy case
The Delhi excise policy case is a corruption case that is being investigated by the ED and the CBI. The allegations against Kejriwal and Sisodia relate to the formulation and implementation of the Delhi government’s excise policy in 2021-22.
The ED alleges that the excise policy was formulated in a way that benefited certain private companies. The CBI is also investigating allegations that the policy was leaked before it was implemented, which allowed some companies to gain an unfair advantage.
Kejriwal and Sisodia have denied any wrongdoing. They have said that the excise policy was formulated in a transparent manner and that there is no evidence of any corruption.
Also Read: Actor-Politician Vijayakanth Dies At 71
The excise policy case is one of several cases that are being investigated by the ED and the CBI against the AAP government in Delhi. The party has alleged that these cases are politically motivated and that the BJP government is using the agencies to target its opponents.
The outcome of the excise policy case is likely to have a significant impact on the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. If Kejriwal is found guilty of corruption, it could damage his reputation and hurt the AAP’s chances in the polls.
1 thought on “Excise Policy Case: Delhi CM Kejriwal Skips ED Interrogation Again; AAP Calls Summons ‘Illegal’”