Kejriwal cannot escape long arm of law for long: BJP on Delhi CM skipping ED summonses

New Delhi: The BJP on Tuesday hit out at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for skipping multiple summonses of the Enforcement Directorate and said he cannot escape the "long hand" of the law for so long as there is evidence of his involvement in the alleged excise policy scam.

Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters, party national spokesperson Sambit Patra also slammed the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for defending BRS leader K Kavitha, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the case, and said probe agencies' actions are based on evidence.

"Political parties do not set up probe agencies," Patra added.

The BJP's reaction came a day after the AAP called the ED a political wing of the BJP and dismissed the probe agency's charges against the party and its national convener Kejriwal calling them blatant and frivolous lies.

Kejriwal on Monday skipped the Enforcement Directorate's summons in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board.

The AAP termed the ED summons "illegal" and accused the BJP-led government at the Centre of "using" the probe agency to target Kejriwal and stop him from campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls.

Reacting to the AAP's charge, Patra said, "Nine-odd summonses have been issued to Kejriwal in the last six months and he has skipped all of them making some excuses or other. But these excuses are not going to work." "How far you will run away from the long hand of the law. It will eventually catch you when there is evidence. The storm is coming and it will certainly come when you have committed corruption," the BJP spokesperson said.

"Kejriwal has committed murder of crores of people's faith, truth and development. There is evidence of it available all over. That's why ED is issuing summons (to him)," Patra alleged and said people will give him a befitting reply.

A Delhi court on Saturday granted bail to Kejriwal in two complaints filed by the ED against him for skipping summonses in a money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam.

Patra alleged that Kejriwal is projecting the grant of bail as if he has got relief from the court while he continues to be an accused in the case.

"Kejriwal is out on bail. Grant of bail is not a relief by the court. There must be something wrong that he had to seek bail," the BJP leader contended, adding, "Being out on bail is not a merit but a demerit. Don't project the grant of bail as relief by the court." With the court granting bail to him, Kejriwal now stands "in the league" of Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, who are also out on bail in the National Herald case, he charged.

"People can understand who has the guarantee of corruption," the BJP leader said, asserting that people will vote for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guarantees and make the BJP victorious in the Lok Sabha polls.

Delhi Minister Atishi on Tuesday accused the ED of becoming a "political weapon" and claimed the agency's assertion that BRS leader K Kavitha was involved in paying Rs 100 crore to AAP leaders for favours in the now-scrapped excise policy has been dismissed by the Supreme Court.

Addressing a press conference, she alleged the federal probe agency's action was aimed at stopping Kejriwal from campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls.