Arvind Kejriwal skips ED summons in DJB case; AAP terms notice 'illegal'

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday skipped the Enforcement Directorate summons in a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board, with the Aam Aadmi Party terming the notice "illegal".

The AAP accused the BJP government at the Centre of "using" the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to target Kejriwal and stop him from campaigning in the Lok Sabha polls.

"The summons is illegal. The BJP wants to fight the Lok Sabha elections using ED," the party alleged.

Kejriwal was summoned by the ED to appear before it on Monday in a money laundering probe linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board. He is also facing inquiries in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case and has previously disregarded eight summons in that matter, terming those "illegitimate".

The federal probe agency has issued a ninth summons to Kejriwal to appear for questioning on March 21 in the excise policy-linked money laundering case.

The AAP's Delhi unit convener Gopal Rai, when asked about the summonses to Kejriwal, said, "It is beyond understanding when will the ED stop serving the political agenda of BJP. ED served notices and the chief minister replied to them saying they were illegal. The ED went to court against him. When the matter is in court, what is the urgency of sending another notice," he asked.

If the BJP wants to arrest Kejriwal, they do not need summons, Rai said. "They can arrest him anytime." "If you believe in the Constitution and law, wait for the court's decision. We are also waiting. The court will hear the matter on April 1," the AAP leader said.

The ED has filed two complaints before a magisterial court in Delhi, seeking Kejriwal's prosecution for skipping multiple summonses issued to him in the money laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. Last Saturday, the court granted him bail in the two complaints.

Delhi Cabinet minister Atishi alleged that the ED was being "used as a political tool".

"Why is the ED continuously sending summons to Arvind Kejriwal when the court is hearing a case related to the legality of the summonses? The court is considering this matter. Why is the ED not respecting the law and waiting for the court's order?" she told PTI-Video "Why is the ED sending summonses when he (Kejriwal) has been granted bail? As soon as the elections were announced, the national convener of a party was sent summonses in two cases. This is being done to stop Arvind Kejriwal from campaigning in Lok Sabha polls," Atishi alleged.

She said the ED should respect the legal process and till the time the court gives its decision, they should stop sending these "illegal" summonses.