Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal skipped the Enforcement Directorate’s summons for the fifth time in connection with the money-laundering probe related to irregularities in the Delhi excise policy case.
The fresh summons to the Delhi CM followed the fourth summons, which he had skipped on January 18.
While skipping the fifth summons, the party called it “unlawful”.
“Delhi CM and AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal will not appear before the ED today as well. We will comply with the lawful summons. Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s aim is to arrest Arvind Kejriwal and topple the Delhi government. We will not allow this to happen,” the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) said.
Kejriwal earlier has skipped four previous summonses issued by the ED on January 18, January 3, November 2, and December 22, calling them “illegal and politically motivated”.
The ED wants to record Kejriwal’s statement in the case on issues like the formulation of policy, meetings held before it was finalised, and allegations of bribery.
While skipping the fourth summons issued by the ED, Kejriwal had termed it “illegal,” saying he was ready to cooperate, but the agency intended to arrest him and stop him from campaigning.
“All four notices sent to me (by the ED) are illegal and invalid in the eyes of the law. Whenever such general, non-specific notices were sent by the ED in the past, they were quashed and declared invalid by courts. These notices are being sent as part of a political conspiracy,” Kejriwal had said after skipping the fourth notice.
While the AAP will stage a protest in Delhi over “cheating” in the Chandigarh mayoral polls, the BJP has said its members will protest against the “corruption” in the Arvind Kejriwal government.