The Enforcement Directorate has issued another round of summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, requesting his presence in connection with the alleged excise policy scam case.
According to sources familiar with the matter, Kejriwal has been instructed to appear before the ED on March 4.
This latest summons marks the eighth time the financial probe agency has called upon Kejriwal, following his absence from the seventh summons issued on Monday.
Just a week prior, the ED had reissued the seventh summons, urging Kejriwal to comply with their request for his appearance.
Previously, on February 19, Kejriwal had failed to attend the ED's sixth summons related to the alleged excise policy scam.
The initial summons had been issued on January 31, setting a date for Kejriwal's appearance on February 2. This marked the fifth time the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Convenor had been summoned.
The Enforcement Directorate expressed frustration over what they perceived as deliberate evasion on Kejriwal's part, citing "lame excuses" for his repeated non-compliance.
Highlighting the significance of adherence to the law, the agency emphasized that the behavior of a high-ranking public official like Kejriwal could adversely influence the general public's perception of legal obligations.
In response to the ongoing summons, AAP sources stated that Kejriwal would not be appearing before the ED, citing ongoing court proceedings. The next court hearing is scheduled for March 16.
Critiquing the ED's repeated summons, AAP sources suggested that the agency should await the court's decision rather than persistently issuing summonses. They reiterated their commitment to upholding their stance, asserting, "We won't leave the INDIA bloc."
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