Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal responded to the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) summons in the Delhi excise policy case on Thursday, labeling them as “politically motivated.” He urged the central agency to withdraw the summons. Although scheduled for questioning on December 21, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader adhered to his pre-announced 10-day Vipassana session in Punjab.
This marks the second instance of ED summoning Kejriwal in this case, with the initial summons issued on November 2. Delhi government sources reported that in his response to the agency on Thursday, Kejriwal expressed readiness to comply with “all legal summons” but reiterated that the current summons, like the previous one, were politically driven and should be revoked. The response also emphasized Kejriwal’s commitment to a transparent lifestyle, asserting that he had nothing to conceal.
In response, the BJP accused Kejriwal of attempting to “play the victim card” and advised him against blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the ED for facing “strict action.” Delhi BJP secretary Harish Khurana alleged that Kejriwal considered Vipassana to be above the law, recalling the previous excuse of Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh. Khurana warned Kejriwal that evading the ED’s questions would not be an option, emphasizing that he would eventually need to respond to the strict stance taken by the law.