Kejriwal Contemplates Skipping ED Summons, Extends Support to Hemant Soren
New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal is unlikely to appear before the Enforcement Directorate on Monday for questioning in a money- laundering case linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy. A day before his scheduled appearance before the ED, the AAP supremo said Sunday that had former Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren joined hands with the BJP, he would not have been in jail now.
Mr Kejriwal had a telephonic conversation with Mr Soren's wife Kalpana Murmu Soren, who thanked him for his support. She wrote on X: “Today I had a telephonic conversation with honourable chief minister of Delhi Shri @ArvindKejriwal ji. Thanks to Arvind ji that at such time he is with Jharkhandi warrior Hemant ji and the JMM family.” In the post in Hindi, she stressed on the need to come together to fight the BJP’s “conspiracy”.
“Today the entire country is watching the conspiracy of the Central government and the BJP. Everyone is upset to see how democracy is being sabotaged in Jharkhand as well as in Delhi and other non-BJP-ruled states… Together, we have to fight this conspiracy of the Central government and the BJP. Jai Johar! Jai Jharkhand!" she said.
Quoting her post, Mr Kejriwal said he stands in solidarity with Mr Soren. “Kalpana ji, we fully stand with former Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren ji. The whole country praises his strength and courage. How he is facing the atrocities of the BJP. If today he had gone with the BJP, he would not have been jailed. But he did not leave the path of truth. Salute to him!” he said in the post in Hindi.
Though the Aam Aadmi Party remained tight-lipped about whether the CM would appear before the probe agency, sources in the party said that he was likely to skip the summons this time too. The AAP has always maintained that its legal team was studying the summons issued to Mr Kejriwal.
The sixth summons came after the ED approached a city court against the Delhi CM over skipping five summonses. On Saturday, the court granted exemption to Mr Kejriwal from personal physical appearance before the court due to the ongoing budget session and the confidence motion in the Delhi Assembly. The court listed the matter for a hearing again on March 16.
