Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has chosen to abstain from complying with the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate, relating to an investigation into purported irregularities associated with the Delhi Jal Board (DJB), as affirmed by the Aam Aadmi Party on Monday.
Issued on Saturday under section 50 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the summons directed the Chief Minister to present himself before the Enforcement Directorate officials for interrogation today.
Representatives of the AAP questioned the rationale behind continuing to issue summonses to Kejriwal, particularly since he has been granted bail by the Rouse Avenue Court in connection with previous instances of non-appearance before the Enforcement Directorate.
Moreover, the party criticized the summons issued by the agency, labeling them as "unlawful".
Regarding the case concerning the DJB, the investigative agency alleges that funds siphoned through corrupt practices in a contract sanctioned by the Delhi government's department were funneled as election finances to the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
In February, the Enforcement Directorate conducted searches at the residences of individuals linked to Kejriwal, including his personal assistant, a Rajya Sabha MP from AAP, a former DJB member, and a chartered accountant, among others, as part of its investigation.
The ED's case revolves around a CBI FIR alleging irregularities in a DJB contract awarded to NKG Infrastructure Ltd. for an amount of Rs 38 crore, despite purported inadequacies in meeting the technical eligibility criteria.
Individuals associated with the contract have been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, with allegations of kickbacks being involved in the contract's procurement, subsequently utilized for illegitimate purposes, including financing AAP's election campaigns.
Contrary to these claims, the AAP has refuted the allegations made by the agency, deeming them baseless.
Notably, this marks the second occasion where Kejriwal has been summoned under the anti-money laundering legislation, alongside facing an investigation in connection with the Delhi excise policy-linked money laundering case.
