Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in the excise policy case and demanded the withdrawal of the summons, which he described as “motivated”, “issued for extraneous considerations” “vague", “unsustainable in law” and “issued at the behest” of the ruling BJP.
Instead of visiting the ED office, he headed to Madhya Pradesh's Waidhan for the party’s Assembly election campaign with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. Anticipating Kejriwal's appearance before the agency, Delhi Police had strengthened security at the ED office and Rajghat where they expected him to go before heading for questioning.
Kejriwal's decision not to appear before the investigators also came on a day the agency conducted raids at the residence of Delhi Minister Raj Kumar Anand in a money laundering case.
The ED, which had issued the notice on Monday, is now expected to issue a fresh summons to him asking him to appear before the agency to record his statement under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
Kejriwal’s decision to campaign for AAP in Madhya Pradesh and his insistence on the withdrawal of the summons instead of seeking another date was intended as a political message to his cadres as well as the BJP that he is not going to take it lying down.
BJP hit back at Kejriwal with spokesperson Sambit Patra saying, “today you don't want to appear before the ED and ask how in what capacity have you been called? You have been called by ED as you are the ocean of corruption, as the source of corruption from which corruption emerges in Delhi.”
In his letter to ED Assistant Director Jogender, the Chief Minister said there was no clarity on whether he was summoned as a witness or a suspect and the summons failed to provide details in relation to the case or the reason for which he was summoned.
He said it also does not specify whether he was summoned as an individual or in his official capacity as Chief Minister or as national convenor of AAP. It “appears to be in the nature of a fishing and roving inquiry”, he said.
Demanding the recall of the summons, which is “to say the least is vague and motivated and I am advised, unsustainable in law”, he referred to BJP leaders talking about the ED issuing summons to him and his imminent arrest before the agency issued it to him.
"Simultaneous to the summons, in the afternoon of October 30, BJP leaders started making statements that soon I would be summoned and arrested. By the evening of that day, I received your summons. It is thus apparent that the said summons was leaked to select BJP leaders to malign my image and reputation and has been issued at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre,” he said.
The Chief Minister said BJP MP Manoj Tiwari openly stated on October 30 afternoon that he will be arrested.
Referring to the elections to five states, he said being AAP National Convenor and its star campaigner, he is required to travel for campaigning and to provide political guidance to party workers. As the Chief Minister, he said he has governance and official commitments for which his presence is required, particularly in view of Diwali festivities coming up in the second week of November.