Arvind Kejriwal Wants To Join ED Probe, Moves Delhi HC Seeking No Coercive Action, Says Atishi

New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal wants to join the investigation of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) but has moved the High Court appealing no coercive action be taken against him, Delhi Minister Atishi said on Thursday.

Summoned for the ninth time by ED, Kejriwal has moved a fresh plea in Delhi High Court seeking protection from any ‘coercive action’ by the ED in the excise policy case.

“We believe that ED is not an independent investigation agency and is not interested in the investigation. ED is a political tool of the BJP. It wants to arrest Arvind Kejriwal. If ED’s intentions are clear and it only wants to investigate the case, then it should say in the court that it will not arrest Arvind Kejriwal. When we moved the High Court yesterday, the ED opposed Arvind Kejriwal’s appeal. Why cannot the ED say that it is just summoning Kejriwal for questioning and it will not arrest him? It cannot say so because the purpose of the ED is to arrest Arvind Kejriwal and prevent him from campaigning in the election,” Atishi said in a video message.

The Delhi CM has so far skipped eight summons from ED—on November 2 and December 22 last year, January 3, January 18, February 2, February 19, February 27, and on March 4. He called the summons “illegal and politically motivated”.