The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued a fresh summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for questioning on January 18 in connection with the money laundering investigation related to the excise policy.

This marks the fourth notice to Kejriwal, who is also the national convenor of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). He had previously declined to appear before the federal agency on three earlier summons dated November 2, December 21 and January 3. 

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued its fourth summons to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal to appear before the agency and record his statement in connection with the Delhi excise policy case, according to ED officials.

Mr. Kejriwal, who skipped the first three summons, has been asked to appear before the investigating team on January 18. The CM is unlikely to appear before the agency as he had already announced a visit to Goa during the same time, according to AAP sources.

However, when asked whether the CM would appear before the agency, AAP’s Delhi convenor Gopal Rai did not give a conclusive answer, saying, “We will take advice from our legal advisers and act as per law.”

“On Friday, the AAP announced Arvind Kejriwal ji’s three-day visit to Goa from January 18 for the preparations for the Lok Sabha elections and on Saturday, there is news in media that ED has sent summons to him to appear before it on January 18. This is no coincidence,” Mr. Rai told journalists.

He alleged that the BJP does not want any Opposition leader to campaign for the Lok Sabha election and therefore, has made the ED its weapon. “Our request is that ED should avoid becoming a frontal organisation of BJP and being politically misused by the BJP. And ED should stop sending these illegal notices,” Mr. Rai said.