ED–Kejriwal tug-of-war over summons continues into eighth round

The ED (Enforcement Directorate) has issued its eighth summons to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for questioning in connection with his alleged involvement in the Delhi excise policy scam-linked money laundering probe, official sources said on Tuesday, 27 February.

Kejriwal, 55, national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been asked to depose on 4 March at the agency's headquarters in New Delhi.

On Monday, the AAP national convenor skipped the seventh summons issued to him in the case, saying he would appear before the agency if a court ordered him to do so.

A city court, approached by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) over Kejriwal skipping its summonses, has its hearing scheduled for 16 March.

The ED, while issuing the eighth summons, rejected the AAP's contention that a fresh notice for Kejriwal's attendance was wrong as the matter was sub judice.

So far, Kejriwal has skipped all the summonses, terming them "illegal". He had also written to the ED seeking their withdrawal.

In a statement, the AAP had said yesterday that the chief minister would not appear before the ED.

With PTI inputs