Arvind Kejriwal skips 7th ED summons, AAP says ‘matter is in court’

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal has decided to once again skip the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons issued against him for questioning in a money laundering case in connection with the excise policy case.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has urged the ED to respect the legal process and await the court’s decision instead of repeatedly issuing summonses to Kejriwal. The party contends that the multiple summonses served to the Chief Minister are unwarranted.

Also Read: Arvind Kejriwal skips 6th ED summons, AAP says ‘matter in court now’

“We will not leave the INDIA alliance. Modi government should not create pressure like this,” Aam Aadmi Party stated, ANI reported.

The probe agency had issued the summons on February 22 which Kejriwal has decided to skip. This was the seventh summons that was 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.

“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.

Also Read: Excise Policy case: ED moves court after Arvind Kejriwal skips sixth summons

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.

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.