- By Kamal Kumar
- Thu, 18 Jan 2024 07:14 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
Aam Aadmi Party's national convenor and Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is unlikely to appear before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday after being summoned for the fourth time in the liquor policy case. The ED has scheduled questioning for Thursday.
Officials from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and the Delhi government reported on Wednesday that Arvind Kejriwal is unlikely to comply with the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) summons scheduled for January 18, reported Jagran. They indicated that Kejriwal is planning to depart for a three-day visit to Goa on Thursday to take stock of the party's preparations for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Originally slated for a two-day trip starting January 11, it had to be postponed due to the Republic Day program preparations in the national capital.
Arvind Kejriwal, summoned by the central probe agency for the fourth time last week, was asked to appear on January 18. Delhi's Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj asserted that Kejriwal will take necessary legal action in consultation with legal advisors. Notably, Kejriwal had previously refused to appear before the ED on three summonses dated November 2, December 21, and January 3.
Previously, Kejriwal had skipped all three summons citing them as ‘illegal and politically motivated’.
“It is a matter of concern that despite my comprehensive response(s) bringing to your notice critical dimensions and legal objections involved in issuing summons to me to appear ‘in person’ in your purported exercise of powers under Section 50 of Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA), you have chosen not to respond,” Kejriwal wrote to ED.
Manish Sisodia, the ex-deputy chief minister of Delhi, was arrested in February in connection with the case, and AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh was taken into custody in October. Arvind Kejriwal's continued refusal to comply with ED summonses has increased speculation about the likelihood of his arrest after questioning.
