Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to not appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning on Thursday, 21 December, in connection with the alleged liquor excise policy scam.
The probe agency had issued a summons to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief on Monday, 18 December. "This ED summon is also illegal like the previous summon issued by the agency. ED should withdraw this summon as it is politically motivated. I have lived my life with honesty and transparency. I have nothing to hide," Kejriwal was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Instead, Kejriwal has reportedly left Delhi to attend a 10-day Vipassana meditation camp at an undisclosed location.
This is the second time that he will be skipping ED questioning in the case.
The AAP national convenor had earlier skipped the ED questioning on 2 November in connection with the case, calling it illegal and politically motivated.
The party had dismissed the case as a fabrication, stating that those who questioned Prime Minister Modi either face suspension or imprisonment.
“This is a fake and false case. Whoever raises a question against Modi in the country is either arrested or suspended,” said AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sandeep Pathak, addressing the media.
“Modi fears Kejriwal the most. And he also fears Kejriwal’s politics and Delhi model. Whoever surrenders to the BJP gets a clean chit. If today, Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh, Satyendar Jain agree to join the BJP, they will get a clean chit,” added Pathak.
(With IANS Inputs)
'Motive To Harass': Kejriwal in Reply to Second ED Summons
"The timing of your summons leaves much to desire and strengthens my belief that the summons being sent to me are not based upon any objective or rational yardstick but purely as a propaganda as well as to create sensational news in the final few months of much awaited parliamentary elections in the country," Kejriwal said in his official reply to the second summons issued by ED.
"The fact that you have deliberately sought my appearance only in person without specifying any reason or necessity therefor when the said Act itself provides for appearance through authorised persons, is indicative of the motive to harass and embarass me," the reply further read.
"It is also not clear whether to I am being called as a representative of the political party (Aam Aadmi Party) an imporant National political party of which I am the National Convenor. I am also advised that a Political Party is not covered within the purview of the Prevention Money Laundering Act, 2002 at all," Kejriwal said.
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