- By Abhirupa Kundu
- Thu, 02 Nov 2023 12:21 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Delhi Chief Minsiter Arvind Kejriwal will not be appearing before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his questioning in the liquor scam case which was scheduled on Thursday. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor insteal will be holding a election campaign road show along with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in Madhya Pradesh's Singrauli district.
Kejriwal has also written a two-page long letter to the probe agency responding to its summons, where he accused it to be "vague" and "unsustainable in law". Accusing that summons are "illegal and politically motivated", sent at the behest of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the AAP leader said that he is the star campaigner of the party and has the responsibility to provide political guidance to the field workers of AAP.
"Being the National Convener and a star campaigner of the AAP, I am required to travel for campaigning and to provide political guidance to my field workers of AAP. As the CM of Delhi, I have governance and official commitments for which my presence is required, particularly in view of Diwali coming up...Please recall the said summons, which is to say the least is vague and motivated and unsustainable in law," Kejriwal wrote in his letter.
Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal responds to ED, "...Being the National Convener and a star campaigner of the AAP, I am required to travel for campaigning and to provide political guidance to my field workers of AAP. As the CM of Delhi, I have governance and official commitments for… pic.twitter.com/piPS5D5kMB
— ANI (@ANI) November 2, 2023
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Earlier he had said that the ED notice to him was sent at the behest of the saffron camp at the Centre and to ensure that he is unable to go for the elction campaigning in the four states ahead of the Assembly Polls.
"The summon notice is illegal and politically motivated. The notice was sent at the behest of the BJP. Notice was sent to ensure that I am unable to go for election campaigning in four states. ED should withdraw the notice immediately," Kejriwal said.
Meanwhile, workers and leaders of the BJP unit of Delhi protested against Kejriwal at Rajghat after the CM decided to skip today's summons from the ED.
Delhi BJP President Virendra Sachdeva, Leader of the opposition Delhi Legislative Assembly and BJP leader Ramvir Singh Bidhuri and other leaders were present during the protest.
This is the first time that the Chief Minister has been summoned by the ED in relation to the alleged Delhi Excise Policy scam case
He was scheduled to visit Rajghat before appearing before the ED, and in view of the same the Delhi Police had also heightened the security at ED office and Rajghat along with outside the premises of Kejriwal's residence with deployment of large number of police personnel, including the paramilitary force.