Kejriwal summoned again, AAP says BJP 'misusing' ED

After he failed to appear before the Enforcement Directorate, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned for the fourth time in less than three months by the agency for questioning on January 18 in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case, official sources said on Saturday.

The 55-year-old Aam Aadmi Party convenor had refused to depose before the ED for the third time on January 3, citing Rajya Sabha polls and Republic Day preparations.

He had also questioned the motive behind the ED's actions, citing legal 'objections' to the summons and accusing the agency of assuming the role of 'judge, jury and executioner'.

By issuing the fresh notice, the ED has again rejected Kejriwal's contention that the summonses issued to him were 'not in consonance with the law' and hence should be withdrawn.

The AAP alleged on Saturday that the Bharatiya Janata Party is 'misusing' the ED to stop Kejriwal from campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as it raised the issue of the timing of the summons, noting that Kejriwal is scheduled to visit Goa from January 18 to interact with party leaders and volunteers.

When asked if Kejriwal would appear before the ED this time, AAP leader and Delhi minister Gopal Rai said they are consulting legal advisors and would act accordingly.

"It's beyond comprehension... Delhi CM's Goa tour on January 18-20 in view of Lok Sabha polls was announced yesterday and now there is news about the ED notice. The agency was sitting quietly and as soon as the chief minister's tour was announced, it sent the notice," he said.

The Delhi BJP alleged that Kejriwal was acting like a 'fugitive' and his party was giving 'political colour' to ED's probe into a case in which two AAP leaders- former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh- were in jail with different courts rejecting their bail applications multiple times.

Earlier, the chief minister was asked to appear on November 2 and December 21, 2023, but skipped the summons.

Sources said Kejriwal has been asked to depose before the agency at its headquarters here on January 18.

The agency, according to the sources, believes that the summonses sent to Kejriwal were 'well within the PMLA procedures and law'.

Kejriwal's name has been mentioned multiple times in charge sheets filed by the ED in the case.

The agency has said that the accused were in touch with him regarding the preparation of the now-scrapped Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22.

The ED had claimed in its charge sheet that the AAP used 'proceeds of crime' to the tune of about Rs 45 crore in its Goa election campaign.

The agency is expected to file a fresh supplementary charge sheet in the case and may name AAP as a 'beneficiary' of the alleged kickbacks that were generated through the excise policy.

It is alleged that the Delhi government's excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP.

The policy was subsequently scrapped and Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, following which the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

The AAP has denied allegations of wrongdoing against its leaders and claimed that it is being targeted due to political vendetta.

"The ED should refrain from becoming a political weapon of the BJP," Rai said on Saturday, adding the agency should stop sending these 'illegal notices' to Kejriwal.