Responding to the fresh summons of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) before leaving for Bengaluru to attend Vippasana course at an unknown location, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday claimed that the notices by the federal agency are meant to create sensational news ahead of the parliamentary polls in 2024.
The reason the AAP leader cited for skipping the summons issued to him is that they were not in consonance with the law.
He also questioned the timing of the notices. He asked why they were issued on the eve of his pre-announced and widely-publicised departure for Vippasana meditation course.
In a six-page reply to the ED notice, Kejriwal described himself as a “conscientious law-abiding ordinary citizen of the country” who does not evade complying with any summons issued in compliance with law.
He also asked the agency in what capacity was he being called. It is still not clear whether he was he being summoned as a witness or a suspect, chief minister of Delhi or as Aam Aadmi Party’s national convenor.
The Delhi CM added that he was not informed or provided with the details of the case file corresponding to file number mentioned in your summons or the reasons for summoning and other details in this regard.
Referring to his previous reply to the ED on summons received earlier, Kejriwal said this time, he mentioned that the agency has once again issued the notice without responding to the issues he raised in his previous response to the probe agency on November 2.
“Your summons appears to be fishing and roving enquiry,” the AAP convener said in his reply.
Asking the ED to revoke, withdraw and recall the summons, he said holds a sensitive constitutional post as an elected leader and incumbent chief minister of the government of the national capital territory of Delhi and has lived a life of dignity, honour and with complete transparency.
On November 2, Kejriwal had skipped the summons in a similar response to the probe agency.
He was summoned by the federal agency in connection with the Delhi excise policy case on December 18 asking him to depose for questioning on December 21.