Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal.
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: BJP today said that Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal has been skipping summons by the ED because he is guilty of corruption.
Party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia said that Kejriwal knows that his arrest is imminent, and is trying to evade the process of law.
“It won’t be wrong to say that Kejriwal is afraid because he knows that his arrest is imminent, he is aware that he is the kingpin and has no answers to ED’s questions. That's why he is trying to evade the process of law,” Bhatia said at a press conference on Wednesday.
"Kejriwal is saying Laaga chunari mein daag chupaun kaise, kiya hai bhrashtachaar ED ke paas jaun kaise'..." Bhatia said, taking a jibe at Arvind Kejriwal for skipping ED summons on Wednesday for the third time in connection with the excise policy case.
"Kejriwal once used to say that we have to eradicate corruption from India. Today, he himself has become corrupt," Bhatia said.
Bhatia said, "Outright dishonest and sinister Arvind Kejriwal is shaking in fear and making one after another lame excuse to skip ED summons."
The BJP leader said it would have never happened in the history of independent India that someone "ordered" a probe agency to withdraw its summons.
"But a corrupt and sinister Arvind Kejriwal tells ED to withdraw its summons. Mr Arvind Kejriwal, you are not above the law," he charged, saying it is the right of the probe agencies to take action against corruption "as per evidence".
In response to Kejriwal’s charge that these summons are due to “political vendetta”, Bhatia said that the AAP chief should have approached the courts in that case.
“Why didn’t he approach court so far if the ED’s summons are politically motivated. He is not able to muster the courage because he knows the truth that he is the kingpin of the liquor scam,” Bhatia said.
"Such dramas will not help because Kejriwal knows that handcuffs are coming closer to him," Bhatia alleged.
Earlier in the day, the AAP asserted that Kejriwal was ready to cooperate with the agency, but claimed the summons were sent with the intention of arresting him. "Why has the notice been sent right before elections? The notice is an attempt to stop Kejriwal from campaigning in elections," the party had alleged.
This was the third ED notice to Kejriwal, also the AAP's convener, after he refused to appear before the federal agency on two earlier summonses for November 2 and December 21.
(With inputs from PTI)