Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal was on Thursday once again summoned by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a money laundering case in connection with the excise policy case.
The probe agency has asked Kejriwal to appear before it on February 26. This is the seventh summons that has been issued against the Delhi CM after he skipped all the six summonses that were issued against him earlier.
While skipping the sixth summons on February 19, Kejriwal stated that the matter is now with the court and the probe agency should wait.
Also Read: Excise Policy case: ED moves court after Arvind Kejriwal skips sixth summons
“The Enforcement Directorate itself approached the court. Instead of sending summons again and again, the ED should wait for the court’s decision,” the party said.
The central probe agency had approached the Delhi court against Kejriwal citing repeated avoiding of the summonses.
The court had summoned Kejriwal to appear before it on February 17. However, he did not turn up, citing the no-confidence motion procedure in the assembly. The court granted him permission to appear physically on March 16.
The earlier five summonses were issued by the probe agency on February 14, February 2, January 18, January 3, December 22, 2023, and November 2, 2023.
Also Read: Arvind Kejriwal skips 6th ED summons, AAP says ‘matter in court now’
The Enforcement Directorate wants to record Kejriwal’s statement in the Delhi Excise Policy 2021-22 case on issues like the formulation of policy, meetings held before it was finalised, and allegations of bribery.
Kejriwal has been maintaining that the probe agency’s actions are “illegal,” adding that he is ready to cooperate but alleges that the agency’s intention was to arrest him and stop him from election campaigning. The AAP also alleges that the central agency is trying to attack the party through its agencies.