Cannot call anyone for your 'fishing & roving' exercise: AAP after Kejriwal skips ED summons

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has strongly criticised the Enforcement Directorate's (ED) summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in an alleged liquor policy scam, alleging it to be a "political conspiracy" and asserting that a "fishing and roving exercise" cannot be allowed.

In a media briefing, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj expressed the party's concerns and raised several key points. He stated, "Today, ED has summoned Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. The CM had responded to them via a letter. He has highlighted a few important things. First, it is not clear under what capacity the ED has summoned the CM. It is not clear whether they have summoned him as a suspect or a witness. Second, the ED has not clarified whether they have summoned Arvind Kejriwal as Delhi CM, the AAP convenor, or as an individual."

Bharadwaj went on to express his apprehension, "Third, this is a worrisome thing, and I have been saying this since October 29. 'Arvind Kejriwal will get a summons and will be arrested'—how does Manoj Tiwari know this? In his interview, how could Manoj Tiwari know that ED will summon Kejriwal? This suggests that the entire conspiracy is political. Is Manoj Tiwari a director of ED?"

The AAP leader emphasised the context of the upcoming elections, saying, "Five elections are going to polls. AAP is contesting the elections, and Kejriwal is the leader of a national party. He is campaigning everywhere. You cannot summon anyone for your fishing and roving exercise." He added that even during the British government's rule, such rights did not exist.

Kejriwal skips ED summons

Notably, on Thursday, Arvind Kejriwal did not appear before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in a case related to the excise policy and wrote to the agency demanding the withdrawal of the notice summoning him, claiming it was "illegal and politically motivated."

"The said summons is not clear as to the capacity in which I am being summoned i.e. as a witness or a suspect in the above-mentioned case. Please recall the said summons, which is, to say the least is vague and motivated and I am advised, unsustainable in law," Kejriwal stated in his letter to Jogendar, Assistant Director, ED.

the AAP supremo further alleged that the said summons appears to be politically motivated and issued for extraneous considerations.

"Simultaneous to the summons, in the afternoon of 30.10.2023, BJP leaders started making statements that soon I would be summoned and arrested. By the evening of that day, I received your summons. It is thus apparent that the said summons was leaked to select BJP leaders to malign my image and reputation and has been issued at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre," his letter read.

In response to Bharadwaj's remarks, BJP leader Sambit Patra stated, “Arvind Kejriwal is running away from ED summons; he is running away from facing the truth... Not appearing before the ED, before the agency, in a way shows fear, shows acceptance that 'Yes, I have made a mistake'.”