CM Kejriwal will act as per law: AAP on ED summons in excise case

The summons, the third of their kind, are for questioning in relation to the excise case which is being probed by both the ED and CBI. The first two summons for questioning were issued on November 2 and December 21.

The Delhi CM sent a written response on both occasions and did not appear for questioning.

In his response to the investigating agency on December 21, Kejriwal said the summons were “not based upon any objective or rational yardstick” and called them pure “propaganda”.

In his response to the first summons, he had accused the agency of trying to conduct a “fishing and roving” exercise and called the summons “politically motivated”.

On Tuesday, when asked whether he would go to the ED headquarters for questioning on Wednesday, national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said the party would rely on legal advice and will “act according to the law”.

The CM was, in April last year, questioned by CBI in relation to the case. Three senior AAP leaders — former Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh and AAP communications in-charge Vijay Nair — have already been arrested by ED in the case. Both Sisodia and Singh were arrested the same day that they were questioned.

AAP, while calling the case against them bogus, has alleged that the ED now wants to arrest Kejriwal in the same manner.

“The excise policy case is completely bogus. The summons are also an excuse to put the CM behind bars, despite him not being named as an accused in the case so far. The BJP wants him behind bars and that is why summons after summons are being sent,” said a senior party leader who did not want to be named.

According to legal experts, if Kejriwal does not appear for questioning the third time, the agency can, in theory, continue to issue notices till he complies. If he still does not join the investigation, the agency can either move an application before a court and ask for a non-bailable warrant against him or investigators can show up at his residence and question him there.