By PTI
NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate is examining the reply sent by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal regarding his refusal to appear before the agency and may issue its fourth summons to him to join the investigation in the alleged excise policy case, official sources said Thursday.
The 55-year-old Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor had refused to depose before the ED for the third time on Wednesday, saying the “non-disclosure and non-response approach” of the agency cannot sustain the test of law, equity or justice and this “obstinacy” of the ED tantamounts to assuming the role of judge, jury and executioner.
The sources said the ED is currently examining Kejriwal’s five-page reply sent to the investigating officer of the case on Wednesday and may reject his charges of calling the summons illegal.
The agency may issue its fourth summons to Kejriwal as per provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
He was earlier asked to depose on November 2 and December 21 in 2023 and January 3 this year.
AAP leader Atishi and some other party leaders had on Wednesday night posted on ‘X’ that the ED might raid Kejriwal’s residence and arrest him.
News coming in that ED is going to raid @ArvindKejriwal’s residence tmrw morning. Arrest likely.
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) January 3, 2024
AAP sources claimed that the roads leading to Arvind Kejriwal’s residence here were blocked and police personnel deployed at all gates as the ED was “gearing up” to raid and arrest the Delhi chief minister.
The Delhi Police, however, said the security around the CM house was beefed up to “manage” mediapersons who have gathered there since Wednesday after party leaders claimed that Kejriwal would be raided and arrested.
READ MORE | Conspiracy to arrest Kejriwal: AAP
“The roads leading to the CM house have been shut and police personnel are deployed at all the entry/exit gates. Event the staff deployed at the CM house has been stopped from entering,” an Aam Aadmi Party source said.
“The ED is gearing up to raid and arrest Kejriwal,” another source from the party said.
It is alleged that the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP.
The policy was subsequently scrapped and the Delhi lieutenant governor recommended a CBI probe, following which the ED registered a case under the PMLA.
READ MORE | No faith in judicial system, Kejriwal has no right to remain CM: BJP Follow channel on WhatsApp
NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate is examining the reply sent by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal regarding his refusal to appear before the agency and may issue its fourth summons to him to join the investigation in the alleged excise policy case, official sources said Thursday.
The 55-year-old Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor had refused to depose before the ED for the third time on Wednesday, saying the “non-disclosure and non-response approach” of the agency cannot sustain the test of law, equity or justice and this “obstinacy” of the ED tantamounts to assuming the role of judge, jury and executioner.
The sources said the ED is currently examining Kejriwal’s five-page reply sent to the investigating officer of the case on Wednesday and may reject his charges of calling the summons illegal.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
The agency may issue its fourth summons to Kejriwal as per provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
He was earlier asked to depose on November 2 and December 21 in 2023 and January 3 this year.
AAP leader Atishi and some other party leaders had on Wednesday night posted on ‘X’ that the ED might raid Kejriwal’s residence and arrest him.
News coming in that ED is going to raid @ArvindKejriwal’s residence tmrw morning. Arrest likely.
— Atishi (@AtishiAAP) January 3, 2024
AAP sources claimed that the roads leading to Arvind Kejriwal’s residence here were blocked and police personnel deployed at all gates as the ED was “gearing up” to raid and arrest the Delhi chief minister.
The Delhi Police, however, said the security around the CM house was beefed up to “manage” mediapersons who have gathered there since Wednesday after party leaders claimed that Kejriwal would be raided and arrested.
READ MORE | Conspiracy to arrest Kejriwal: AAP
“The roads leading to the CM house have been shut and police personnel are deployed at all the entry/exit gates. Event the staff deployed at the CM house has been stopped from entering,” an Aam Aadmi Party source said.
“The ED is gearing up to raid and arrest Kejriwal,” another source from the party said.
It is alleged that the Delhi government’s excise policy for 2021-22 to grant licences to liquor traders allowed cartelisation and favoured certain dealers who had allegedly paid bribes for it, a charge repeatedly refuted by the AAP.
The policy was subsequently scrapped and the Delhi lieutenant governor recommended a CBI probe, following which the ED registered a case under the PMLA.
READ MORE | No faith in judicial system, Kejriwal has no right to remain CM: BJP Follow channel on WhatsApp
