Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal is once again set to defy the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) summons, marking the sixth consecutive instance. The party contends that these repeated summonses are legally questionable and has urged the ED to await the court’s decision.
The ED had taken the matter to court in Delhi after Kejriwal skipped multiple summonses. However, on Saturday, the court granted Kejriwal exemption from personal appearance in connection with a complaint filed by the ED. This complaint pertained to allegations of non-compliance with summonses in a money laundering case linked to the now-defunct excise policy.
A motion filed by Kejriwal’s legal representatives emphasized the ongoing Budget Session of the Delhi Legislative Assembly, which commenced on February 15 and is scheduled to extend until the initial week of March 2024. This, they argued, presented logistical challenges for Kejriwal to attend the summons.
To date, Kejriwal has received a total of six summonses from the anti-money laundering agency, with the most recent one issued on February 14, mandating his appearance on February 19.
Before the latest summons, Kejriwal had written to the ED, categorizing the summonses as “unlawful and politically driven.” He alleged that the timing of these summonses was strategic, aimed at disrupting his active participation in ongoing election campaigns.
On a political front, the AAP government secured a vote of confidence in the 70-member Delhi Assembly on Saturday. Kejriwal, during this session, declared that his party has solidified its position as the primary contender against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He accused the BJP of employing various means to suppress AAP’s influence.
The vote of confidence was successfully secured with backing from 54 Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs), and Kejriwal emphasized that no legislator from the AAP had defected. The confidence motion, moved by Kejriwal on Friday, included accusations against the BJP of attempting to poach MLAs from the AAP ranks, further heightening the political tension surrounding the situation.
