ED issues 9th summons to CM Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi excise policy scam

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Sunday issued a ninth summons to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in the money laundering case in connection with an alleged excise policy scam.

“The AAP chief has been asked to depose before the investigation agency at its office in the national capital on March 21,” the official sources said.

The investigation agency also issued a summons to Kejriwal in connection with a second case registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi Jal Board (DJB).

He has been asked to appear before the investigation agency on March 18, i.e., tomorrow, and record his statement under the provisions of the PMLA.

Calling it a fake case, AAP leader Atishi, in a press conference, alleged that this case is the BJP's backup plan.

“Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal received another summon yesterday evening by the ED. They have asked him to join some investigation related to Delhi Jal Board. We are unaware of the case registered by the ED in this matter,” Atishi asserted.

She further claimed that these summons are being sent because PM Modi has started doubting whether they will be able to arrest Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in the Excise matter case.

“A backup plan is being initiated to arrest Arvind Kejriwal,” Atishi added.

The AAP chief is already facing summons for questioning in the Delhi Excise Policy-linked money laundering case. He skipped eight summons in this case so far, terming them "illegal.”

The Enforcement Directorate in the DJB case has alleged that bribe money generated from corruption in a contract issued by this Delhi government department was passed on as election funds to the AAP.

Last month, the agency raided the premises of Kejriwal's Personal Assistant Bibhav Kumar, party Rajya Sabha MP N D Gupta, former DJB member Shalabh Kumar, chartered accountant Pankaj Mangal, and some others as part of this investigation.