Kejriwal replies to ED, says summons politically motivated, illegal

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has sent his reply to the ED summons, calling them illegal and politically motivated, AAP sources said on Thursday.

Kejriwal was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in the excise policy-linked money laundering case on Thursday. However, he left for an undisclosed location for a 10-day Vipassana meditation course on Wednesday.

"Kejriwal called the fresh summons politically motivated and illegal. In his reply, he said that he has lived his life through transparency and honesty and has nothing to hide. He said he is ready to accept any legal summons," sources said, citing his reply.

Kejriwal was scheduled to leave for the Vipassana course on Tuesday but could not do so as he was busy with the INDIA bloc meeting. He left at around 1.30 pm on Wednesday for the pre-scheduled meditation course, officials said.

The Aam Aadmi Party on Tuesday questioned the timing of the summons, saying the party's lawyers are studying the notice and "legally correct" steps will be taken.

They said Kejriwal's Vipassana session was "pre-scheduled" and the information was in the public domain.

"Everyone knows the chief minister is leaving for Vipassana on December 19. He regularly goes for this meditation course. It's a pre-scheduled and pre-announced plan," AAP MP Raghav Chadha had said.

Earlier, Kejriwal was summoned by the ED on November 2 but he skipped the questioning alleging the notice was illegal and politically motivated.