Arvind Kejriwal Skips Sixth ED Summons, AAP Cites ‘Matter In Court Now’
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday skipped the Enforcement Directorate (ED)’s sixth summons to appear before it to question him in connection with the Delhi excise policy case. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has claimed that the probe agency’s summon is “illegal”.
Kejriwal stated that the summons is in the court now and the probe agency should wait for the direction of the court instead of sending summons again and again.
This is the sixth summons sent to the AAP leader in connection with the money laundering case which he will skip. Kejriwal skipped all the summons calling it “illegal” and “politically motivated”. The earlier five summons were on February 2, January 18, January 3, December 22, 2023, and November 2, 2023.
The ED has approached a city court after Kejriwal skipped multiple summons. On Saturday, the court granted an exemption to the AAP leader from personal appearance for the day in connection with the complaint filed by the central agency.
“ED itself has gone to the court. Instead of sending summons again and again, ED should wait for the court’s decision,” AAP source said while speaking to ANI, reports TOI.
The application moved by Kejriwal’s counsel stated that the Budget session of Delhi commenced on February 15 and shall continue till the first week of March. The Delhi chief minister will physically appear before the court on the next date of hearing on March 16, it said.
By addressing the court via video conference, the chief minister said that during the confidence motion discussion in the Delhi Assembly and the Budget session, he could not physically appear before the court.
Following this, the court has fixed the AAP leader to appear before the court on March 16 at 10 am.
Responding to the case filed by the ED, the court said that the AAP supremo was “legally bound” to comply. The complaint was filed under section 174 of the IPC for non-attendees in obedience to an order from a public servant and Section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
However, BJP alleged that Kejriwal was trying to use the Budget session of the Delhi assembly “as his weapon to escape the investigation of the liquor scam,” reports India Today.
