BJP scared of Kejriwal: AAP on ED summons in excise policy case

The AAP Tuesday questioned the timing of the Enforcement Directorate's summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and said the party's lawyers are studying the notice and ''legally correct'' steps will be taken.

Kejriwal, who was scheduled to leave for a 10-day Vipassana meditation course from Tuesday, was still in the city till late night, with sources saying he might go on session Wednesday morning.

''Lawyers are examining the ED's notice and such steps will be taken that are legally correct,'' the AAP said in a statement, adding its legal team would reply to the notice.

The Enforcement Directorate notice to the AAP chief has asked him to appear before the agency on December 21.

AAP leaders said Kejriwal's Vipassana session was ''pre-scheduled'' and the information was in the public domain. ''Everyone knows the Chief Minister is leaving for Vipassana on December 19. He regularly goes for this meditation course. It's a pre-scheduled and pre-announced plan,'' AAP MP Raghav Chadha said.

''He will be consulting lawyers. They will decide what answer has to be given to the ED and whether any reply is to be given at all or not. It has been announced that he will go for Vipassana,'' he said.

If the BJP is scared of any leader, it is Kejriwal, he said. ''I am sure he haunts them in their dreams.'' Delhi Cabinet Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj expressed surprise at the timing of the summons. ''It was in the public domain. It was decided a month before that Kejriwal would leave for Vipassana. Why was December 21 chosen? We are also surprised. Our legal team is studying it and we will respond to it,'' he added.

His cabinet colleague, Atishi said people of the country are watching. She also said the entire excise policy case is made up. ''Sometimes the BJP says it is a scam of Rs 50,000 crore sometimes Rs 10 crore and sometimes Rs 2000 crore. This is a fake case.

''It is absolutely clear that the BJP is scared of the AAP and Kejriwal model. That is why they are trying to put AAP leaders in jail one by one. People of the country are watching. If someone is working for poor it is Kejriwal. These (ED summons) are ways to scare leaders. The AAP will continue fighting in the interest of the poor people and the Constitution,'' she said.

The ED on Monday issued a fresh summons to the Delhi chief minister for questioning on December 21 in the excise policy-linked money laundering case.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)