Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal skipped the third summons by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the Delhi excise policy case on Wednesday saying that he is busy with preparations for Republic Day as well as the Rajya Sabha election.
He, however, expressed his willingness to answer any questionnaire provided by the ED. Kejriwal said he “would be happy to respond to any questionnaire” if the agency seeks any information or documents, which are in his knowledge or possession, PTI reported.
Also Read: Arvind Kejriwal skips ED summons again, draws condemnation from BJP and Congress alike
Citing the election to three Rajya Sabha seats from Delhi, where the terms of office of the incumbents will expire on January 27, 2024, he said, “Being National Convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party, I am held up in the process and run up to these critical elections.”
“Being the Chief Minister of Delhi, I am also quite occupied in planning and preparations for several programmes and functions for the Republic Day i.e., 26th January 2024,” Kejriwal said, as quoted by PTI.
He also asked the agency to respond to his previous queries regarding the “real intent, ambit, nature, sweep and scope” of the ongoing inquiry, criticising the agency’s alleged lack of transparency.
Also Read: Delhi excise policy case: Arvind Kejriwal skips third Enforcement Directorate summons
“Your silence on the aforementioned critical aspects leads me to infer that you are maintaining unwarranted secrecy and are being opaque and arbitrary in the present matter,” he said in the reply to the summons.
“It is a matter of concern that despite my comprehensive response(s) bringing to your notice critical dimensions and legal objections involved in issuing summons to me to appear ‘in person’ in your purported exercise of powers under Section 50 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), you have chosen not to respond,” he added.
The timing of the ED’s summons was questioned by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), asserting that the agency has not clarified whether Kejriwal is summoned as a witness or an accused. The AAP alleged political motivations behind the excise policy case, claiming it aims to hinder Kejriwal’s campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
Former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh are currently in judicial custody related to the excise policy-linked money laundering probe.
