Kejriwal likely to skip fourth ED summons in Delhi excise policy case, to leave for Goa today

AAP chief to leave for Goa to oversee party’s Lok Sabha preparations on Thursday; will visit Ram Temple with family after Jan. 22, says CM, adds Delhi govt. will try to run more trains to Ayodhya

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal with pilgrims before their departure under the ‘Mukhyamantri Teerth Yatra’ scheme on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: ANI

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is likely to skip the fourth summons by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for questioning on Thursday in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, according to party sources. Mr. Kejriwal, who has skipped three previous summons by the probe agency, is scheduled to leave for Goa on Thursday to oversee AAP’s Lok Sabha preparations, the sources added.

While the party did not issue a statement on the summons, the Delhi CM told reporters at an event in the national capital on Wednesday that he would do “whatever is necessary as per law”.

The case against the AAP chief is based on an FIR by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), alleging multiple irregularities in the formation and implementation of the excise policy (2021-22), which was subsequently withdrawn.

The ED first summoned Mr. Kejriwal on November 2, last year. However, he did not appear for questioning and wrote to the agency, describing the summons as “unsustainable in law” and “motivated”. He skipped the ED summons for the second time on December 21, 2023, and for the third time on January 3.

Mr. Kejriwal said he had not received a formal invitation for the January 22 Ram Temple consecration ceremony and that he will visit the temple with his family at a later date.

‘Yet to receive invite’

“A letter had come from them [Vishwa Hindu Parishad]. They said a team would come [with an invitation]. However, no one visited me, but it doesn’t matter. In the letter, they said that a lot of VVIPs were visiting and that only one person would be allowed due to security reasons. I want to visit [Ram Temple] with my wife, children, and parents for a darshan of Ram Lalla. I will do it after January 22,” he said.

Sources in the VHP said an appointment had been sought from the Delhi CM, but his office took too long to respond, after which an invitation was posted to him.

“Even Shankaracharyas are being asked to come with one person. So the rules will be no different for Kejriwal,” said a senior VHP functionary.

The AAP chief also said the Delhi government will try to run more trains to Ayodhya under the Delhi government’s free pilgrimage scheme — ‘Mukhyamantri Tirth Yatra Yojana’. The CM made the announcement at Thyagaraj Stadium on Wednesday before seeing off pilgrims headed for Gujarat’s Dwarkadhish temple under the scheme.