Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, for the third consecutive time, chose to forego the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate regarding the Delhi excise policy case. In a communication addressed to the Enforcement Directorate, Kejriwal conveyed his contention that the summons lacked a "valid reason or justification."
Accusing the Enforcement Directorate of maintaining an undesirable level of secrecy and exhibiting traits of opacity and arbitrariness in the ongoing matter, Arvind Kejriwal called for clarification on the true intent, ambit, nature, sweep, and scope of the purported inquiry or investigation for which he was being summoned.
Expressing concern over the perceived motivation behind the summons and characterizing them as a "fishing and roving inquiry," Kejriwal noted that the agency had issued identically worded summons without addressing his previous responses on November 2, 2023, and December 20, 2023. Consequently, he assumed that there was no valid reason or justification for the issuance of the latest summons.
Kejriwal criticized the Enforcement Directorate's non-disclosure and non-responsive approach, asserting that it could not withstand legal, equitable, or just scrutiny. He contended that the agency's obstinacy seemed to assume the roles of judge, jury, and executioner simultaneously, a stance that he deemed unacceptable in a country governed by the rule of law.
Additionally, Kejriwal informed the probe agency of his upcoming commitments, highlighting the impending election to three Rajya Sabha seats in Delhi scheduled for January 19. In his capacity as the convener of the Aam Aadmi Party, he anticipated being engrossed in the electoral process and the lead-up to the polls. Furthermore, he cited preparations for Republic Day celebrations as an additional factor that would tie up his schedule.
Kejriwal concluded his communication by urging the agency to address the objections he had previously raised, seeking clarity and transparency in the ongoing matter.
