'We Will Not Leave INDIA Bloc': AAP After Arvind Kejriwal Skips 7th ED Summons

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday skipped the seventh summons from the Enforcement Directorate in connection with the Delhi excise policy case.

The Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party once again noted that “the matter is in court” and highlighted that the next hearing is on March 16.

“Instead of sending summons daily, ED should wait for the court’s decision,” AAP said.

It further added that AAP “will not leave INDIA alliance,” adding that the “Centre should not create pressure like this”.

Last week, the federal agency issued the seventh summons to the AAP chief and asked him to appear before it on February 26 for questioning at its headquarters in the national capital.

ARVIND KEJRIWAL SKIPS 6 ED SUMMONS

The seventh summons came days after Kejriwal skipped the anti-corruption agency’s sixth summons saying that the matter of their “validity” is in the Court now. “Instead of sending repeated summons, the ED should wait for the Court’s verdict,” AAP had said last week as well.

In response, the ED filed a complaint and said that a local court prima facie held the Delhi CM guilty of “disobeying” the earlier notices issued to him in this case, warranting the 7th summons.

Earlier on February 2, the AAP chief gave a skip to the fifth summons, which was issued to him on January 31. However, this move from Kejriwal prompted the agency to file a fresh complaint against him for non-compliance with its summons.

The fourth summons, issued to Kejriwal on January 13, was also skipped by the Delhi CM. He, along with AAP MLAs Raghav Chadha and Sandeep Pathak and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, had left for a three-day visit to Goa.

He skipped the third summons on January 3 citing his busy schedule due to Rajya Sabha elections and Republic Day celebrations as one of the reasons for not appearing before the ED.

The probe agency’s second summons were also given a skip by Arvind Kejriwal saying that the summons were “illegal”, “politically motivated”, adding that, they “should be withdrawn”.

The AAP chief had gone to a Vipassana session — a meditative retreat — and gave a skip to the summons.

For the very first time, ED issued summons to the Delhi CM on October 30, 2023. However he skipped the summons saying that they were illegal and politically motivated and given on request of BJP.