Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who on Wednesday skipped the third summons by the Enforcement Directorate, today said he has not been involved in any corruption. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo also alleged the BJP wanted him to prevent him from campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections.
The development comes amid AAP leaders alleging that the Enforcement Directorate was likely to arrest Kejriwal in connection with the excise policy-linked money laundering case.
"The truth is that there was no corruption. BJP wants to arrest me. My biggest asset is my honesty and they want to dent it," Kejriwal said, as he addressed the media.
"My lawyers have told me that summons sent to me are illegal. BJP's aim is not to probe me, but not to let me campaign for Lok Sabha elections. They want to call me on the pretext of investigation and then arrest me," the Delhi Chief Minister said.
On Wednesday, the Enforcement Directorate said it was examining the reply sent by Kejriwal regarding his refusal to appear before the agency and may issue its fourth summons to him to join the investigation in the alleged excise policy case.
Kejriwal had refused to depose before the ED for the third time on Wednesday, saying the "non-disclosure and non-response approach" of the agency cannot sustain the test of law, equity or justice and this "obstinacy" of the ED tantamounts to assuming the role of judge, jury and executioner.
Meanwhile, sources told news agency PTI that the Delhi Chief Minister would leave for a three-day tour of Gujarat on Saturday in view of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. Kejriwal will also address public meetings and party workers during his election tour, they said.
He is also likely to meet jailed AAP leader Chaitar Vasava during his three-day tour, they said.
