Kejriwal skips ED summons in excise policy case, calls it 'extraneous considerations'

Kejriwal was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in the excise policy-linked money laundering case on Thursday. However, he left for an undisclosed location for a 10-day Vipassana meditation course on Wednesday.

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Friday did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning in the excise policy case, saying the agency's summon was not in consonance with law and was sent for "extraneous considerations" at the behest of ruling BJP to create "sensational news" in the run up to the Lok Sabha elections.

Kejriwal, who left for a ten-day 'vipassana' meditation course in Punjab's Kapurthala on Thursday, wrote to the ED saying his programme for the next ten days was widely published but to his "utter dismay" he found the summons issued to him on December 18.

He said he is a conscientious law-abiding ordinary citizen, who does not shirk away from complying with any summons issued in compliance with law "but your (ED) summons is (I am advised) not in consonance with law".

The AAP supremo had earlier on November 2 refused to appear before the ED citing that he was not told whether he was called as an accused or a witness and what all documents he is supposed to bring, a charge he repeated in the latest letter on Thursday.

"The timing of your summons leaves much to desire and strengthens my belief that the summons being sent to me are not based upon any objective or rational yardstick but for extraneous considerations at the behest of political rivals who wish to silence the voice of the Opposition to the ruling dispensation at the Centre to create sensational news in the final few months leading up to the Parliamentary elections in early to mid-2024," he wrote.

The Chief Minister said the ED "deliberately" seeking his personal appearance "without specifying any reason or necessity" when the Prevention of Money Laundering Act itself provides appearance through authorised persons is "indicative of the motive to harass and embarrass" him.

He claimed, "in the summons the column of 'Schedule' and 'As per Annexure Enclosed' are struck off by pen and there is absolutely nothing to indicate what particular information, material or document is required from me. In the absence of the same, this is manifestly arbitrary and not sustainable in law. The summons do not even mention any questionnaire, which I could have responded to," he said.

He said it was also not clear whether he was being called as a representative of AAP, while a political party does not come under the purview of PMLA at all.

Citing his November 2 letter which he had described as “motivated”, “issued for extraneous considerations” “vague", “unsustainable in law” and “issued at the behest” of the ruling BJP, Kejriwal said the issues he raised in that letter was not addressed in the fresh summons.

Claiming that the ED has chosen not to provide the details of the case file or the reason for summoning him while calling the exercise a "fishing and roving enquiry", he said adding High Courts have declared such summons by ED invalid and quashed the summons.