ED summons Kejriwal on Feb 2, but CM to hold stir at BJP's HQ

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has issued summons to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, asking him to appear before it on February 2 in connection with its investigation into a money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in the Delhi excise police 2021-22, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.

- Neeraj Chauhan and Alok KN Mishra

This is the fifth time that Kejriwal, who is also the national convener of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), has been issued summons in connection with the case. He has skipped four previous summons-on November 2 and December 22, 2023 and January 3 and 18 this year - calling them "illegal and politically motivated".

AAP officials, meanwhile, said that Kejriwal, along with his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann, will hold a protest on February 2 the date of the summons against alleged "malpractice" by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the recently concluded Chandigarh mayoral election.

The officials said the protest will be held outside the BJP headquarters in New Delhi.

The party did not immediately comment on whether Kejriwal will appear before ED in connection with the fresh summons. However, AAP chief spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar said, "We have received information about the fifth summons. Our legal team is studying it, and whatever is right as per the law will be done."