Kejriwal issued ED summons for fifth time in Delhi excise policy case

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal receives fifth summons from the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a fresh summons to Delhi Chief Minister and AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal for questioning in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. He has been asked to appear before the agency on February 2. This is the fifth summons sent to him. He was first called last year on November 2, followed by December 21, January 3 and 18 this year.

“We have just got information about the fifth summons. Our legal team is studying this and we will act as per law. Earlier summons were illegal,” said AAP chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar.

Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said that Mr. Kejriwal should not run away from the legal process and appear before the ED like some of his other INDIA bloc colleagues have. “The Chief Minister of Delhi himself is holding a constitutional post and by ignoring the last four summons, he has made a mockery of the Constitution by making new excuses,” he said.

Mr. Kejriwal had skipped the first four summons citing various reasons, including a 10-day meditation retreat and that the summons were “politically motivated” and “illegal”.

The case against the AAP supremo is based on a first information report (FIR) alleging multiple irregularities in the formation and implementation of the Delhi excise policy (2021-22) by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The policy was withdrawn after allegations of corruption.

But following a summons by the CBI, Mr. Kejriwal had appeared before the agency on April 16 last year and was questioned for nine hours. Speaking to the media after the questioning, the Chief Minister had alleged that the entire case was fabricated and foisted to bring AAP down.

Two senior AAP leaders — Manish Sisodia and Sanjay Singh — are already under judicial custody in the case.