Kejriwal to skip second ED summons in Delhi excise policy case
The Hindu
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is to skip the second summons issued by the ED in the Delhi excise policy case
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is to skip the second summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Delhi excise policy case. He was asked to appear before the agency on December 21.
The Aam Aadmi Party supremo will be back in Delhi on December 30 after Vipassana at a meditation centre in Hoshiarpur of Punjab. “The party has not yet replied to the ED’s summons, but the lawyers are looking into the issue,” an AAP source said.
On Monday, the ED summoned Mr. Kejriwal to record his statement in the excise policy case on December 21. This was the second summons to the Chief Minister in the case.
Mr. Kejriwal was first summoned by the ED on November 2, but he did not appear for questioning and wrote to the ED that the summons was “unsustainable in law” and “motivated.”
The case against the AAP supremo is based on a First Information Report alleging multiple irregularities in the formation and implementation of the Delhi excise policy (2021-22) by the Central Bureau of Investigation. The policy was withdrawn after allegations of corruption.
During the first summons, Mr. Kejriwal termed it a “fishing and roving” exercise by the agency. “As the Chief Minister of the State of NCT of Delhi, I have governance and official commitments, for which my presence is required, particularly in view of the Deepavali festivities coming up in the second week of November 2023. In view of the above, please recall the said summons, which to say the least is vague and motivated and I am advised, unsustainable in law,” the letter read.
But following a summons by the CBI, Mr. Kejriwal appeared before the agency on April 16 and he was questioned for nine hours. Speaking to the media after the questioning, the Chief Minister alleged that the entire case was fabricated and the Central agencies had no proof, and the case was built to bring the AAP down.
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