As Arvind Kejriwal ignores ED summons, AAP says BJP 'conspiring' to arrest him

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ignored ED summons to appear for questioning in a money-laundering case. (File Photo)

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ignored the Enforcement Directorate’s summons to appear for questioning on November 2 in a money-laundering case arising out of the now-scrapped excise policy, as his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) accused the BJP of conspiring to arrest its national convenor.

The notice sent to Kejriwal didn’t specify in what capacity he was summoned in the money-laundering case, which is linked to the now-nixed Delhi liquor policy, several of Kejriwal’s party colleagues and ministers said.

“ED didn’t mention whether Kejriwal was summoned as CM, as a party convenor, as a witness, or as a suspect. Since there was ambiguity, Kejriwal decided not to appear for questioning and accordingly sent his reply to the agency,” Delhi’s environment minister Gopal Rai said.

Kejriwal chose to travel to Madhya Pradesh to participate in a roadshow to drum up support for AAP ahead of the assembly election. The voting for the 230-member assembly will be held on November 17.

The Delhi government was forced to withdraw its excise policy for 2021-22 after the Lieutenant Governor ordered a CBI probe into allegations of wrongdoings and favouring certain liquor traders.

Kejriwal’s deputy Manish Sisodia was arrested in the case and had to quit his position. Early this week, the Supreme Court turned down his bail plea.

Rai said that the agency was supposed to respond to Kejriwal’s queries but it was the BJP’s party’s national spokesperson who responded.

Rai was referring to Patra who during a press conference accused Kejriwal of evading ED summons and avoiding the truth.

“Evading an investigation is an admission of guilt. Not appearing in front of ED reflects Kejriwal’s fear and his involvement in the liquor scam,” Patra said.

If the Delhi Chief Minister wasn’t afraid, he should have gone to the Enforcement Directorate, answered the questions, and left with a “smile” and “drama,” the BJP leader said.

“BJP leaders repeatedly claim that the enforcement agency ED is independent and has no affiliation with their party. If this is indeed the case, why do BJP leaders respond?” Rai said.

Patra’s response showed that government was worried about the INDIA alliance of which AAP was a part, he said.

Rai was referring to the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance of 28 parties, which has decided to put up a joint front against the BJP-led NDA in the Lok Sabha elections early next year.

“The conspiracy is being orchestrated by the BJP, and it has a plan to arrest Arvind Kejriwal. Just a day before the notice was issued to Kejirwal, BJP MP Manoj Tiwari made a statement that the AAP’s national convenor would be arrested,” claimed Rai.

The BJP wanted to ensure that Kejriwal was not able to campaign for this party in the upcoming elections to five state assemblies, he added.

A bit player but AAP had fielded candidates in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram.

Arrest fears

Delhi’s health minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said, “In a phishing and roving exercise, the agency cannot summon him without specifying reasons. There are possibilities of the agency calling him and arresting him on the pretext that he didn’t reply to their queries.”

Every elected government must ensure that law enforcement agencies were independent but the BJP was misusing the Enforcement Directorate, he alleged.

“It is unfortunate that the BJP is engaging in a politics of vendetta and using the agency against its political opponents. The party in power is hatching conspiracies against all opposition parties,” said Bhardwaj.

AAP’s chief national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar accused the BJP of assisting businessmen Nitin Sandesara, Lalit Modi, Vijay Mallya, Mehul Choksi, and Nirav Modi in fleeing the country after defaulting on huge loans.

She said that the BJP got Manish Sisodia jailed, as his work on education system earned him praise, Satyendra Jain, who had introduced the Mohalla Clinics improve healthcare, too, was arrested.

She, too, said the BJP was planning to arrest Kejriwal and many of its leaders were actively crafting a false narrative.