‘Legal team studying summons, will take decision as per law’

After the Enforcement Directorate issued a fresh summons to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, his Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Wednesday said its legal team is studying the notice and will take a decision in accordance with law.

The ED has issued the fifth summons to Kejriwal for questioning in the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case, official sources said. It is understood that the fresh summons was for February 2.

In a brief statement, AAP chief national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said, “We have received news about the fifth summons. Our legal team is studying it and we will decide what to do as per law. The earlier summonses were illegal and we had sought a reply from the Enforcement Directorate.”

Kejriwal, also the national convenor of the AAP, has skipped four earlier summons issued by the ED for November 2 and December 21 in 2023 and January 3 and January 18. He had called these notices “illegal”.

Meanwhile, the BJP on said Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal should appear before the Enforcement Directorate for questioning as he holds a constitutional post.

However, it remains to be seen if the AAP will once again announce a travel plan of the chief minister for the date of questioning, Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said.

“Our advice to Kejriwal is that he should appear for questioning before the ED,” Sachdeva said, adding that the chief minister holds a constitutional position. “However, we are watching whether or not they (AAP) come up with a travel plan of CM Kejriwal for the date when he is scheduled to be questioned by the ED, as has happened earlier,” he said.