New Delhi: The BJP is “misusing” the ED to stop Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from campaigning for Lok Sabha polls, Aam Aadmi Party leader Gopal Rai said after the probe agency sent its fourth summons to the AAP chief on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference, Rai questioned the timing of the Enforcement Directorate’s summons to Kejriwal, saying it came ahead of his Goa tour from January 18.
When asked if Kejriwal would appear before the ED this time, Rai who is a minister in the Kejriwal government said they are consulting legal advisors and would act accordingly.
“The ED should refrain from becoming a political weapon of the BJP,” Rai said. He added the way the agency was working it appeared to have become a “frontal organisation” of the saffron party.
Responding to the AAP’s charges, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said that Kejriwal was acting like a “fugitive” and his party was giving “political colour” to ED’s probe into a case in which two AAP leaders — former deputy CM Manish Sisodia and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh — were in jail with different courts rejecting their bail applications multiple times.
Rai said the agency should stop sending these “illegal notices” to Kejriwal to stop him from campaigning for Lok Sabha polls.
“The ED is a constitutional body. Its notice was leaked to the media before it reached the Chief Minister. This is not the work of a constitutional bodes. It is the BJP’s work,” Rai charged.
“It is beyond comprehension… Delhi CM’s Goa tour to be held from January 18-20 in view of Lok Sabha polls was announced yesterday (Friday) and now this news about the ED notice comes,” he said.
The agency was sitting quietly and as soon as Delhi Chief Minister’s tour was announced, it sent the notice, he said.
“This clearly shows that the BJP wants to stop opposition leaders from campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls,” he added.
The ED has issued summons to Kejriwal for the fourth time for questioning in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case.
Kejriwal, who is also the national convener of the AAP, has been asked to depose before the agency at its headquarters here on January 18.
PTI

KR Desk