Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal Skips ED Summons Over Jal Board Case

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal skipped the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons on Monday for questioning in connection with alleged irregularities in the awarding of Delhi Jal Board contracts. 

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader called the summons illegal. “When bail was granted, then why is ED sending summons?” He stated that the BJP is using ED as a shield to contest the Lok Sabha elections.

Kejriwal received two different summonses from the ED on Sunday. In relation to the DJB and excise policy case, it requested that he appear before it on Monday and Thursday.

It was the chief minister’s first summons in the DJB matter. In the excise policy lawsuit, Kejriwal has skipped eight summonses, claiming they are unlawful and politically motivated. Kejriwal was also not likely to appear before the ED about the excise case.

According to the AAP, the BJP was trying to stop Kejriwal from running for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

Nobody knows what the DJB case is or what irregularities have occurred. Maybe they doubt whether they will be able to arrest Kejriwal in the excise case, so this has been opened as a backup case. A third case may be opened if they cannot arrest him in this case as well.

Delhi minister Atishi said on Sunday

Kejriwal received two summonses on the same day that a Delhi court granted him bail in response to two complaints from the ED about his failure to appear before the federal agency regarding the excise matter.

ED officials said that the bail does not mean that the court has given Kejriwal immunity from appearing before ED.

Harish Khurana, a BJP leader, claimed that Kejriwal has once again demonstrated his disregard for the law.

He, on purpose, evaded the ED summons. The investigation agencies are doing their work. It is the court that will decide whether the summonses are legal or illegal. ED summoned Kejriwal to ask questions in the DJB case. Since Kejriwal has skipped the summons, it makes it clear that Kejriwal is trying to hide something. If Kejriwal has not done anything wrong, then he should appear before the ED.

Harish Khurana