Kejriwal asked to appear before ED on Jan 3 in excise case probe

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday issued summons to Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal, directing him to appear before the agency on January 3, officials aware of the matter said.

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ED is probing allegations of money laundering in the Delhi excise policy case."He has been summoned to join probe on January 3," an officer confirmed but declined to share other details.

This is the third time that the federal agency has summoned the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief in the case, but it could be the first time that Kejriwal is questioned by ED.

Terming the summons issued by ED "illegal", the Delhi CM skipped the summons twice -November 2 and December 21.

While skipping the first summons, Kejriwal wrote to the agency that it had failed to do three things - clarify in what capacity he was being asked to appear, as a witness or a subject in the investigation; provide reasons why he was summoned; and specify whether he was called in his individual capacity or in his official role as chief minister or AAP convener. He called the case a "fishing and roving" inquiry. Later that afternoon, on the day of his summon, Kejriwal flew to Singrauli in poll-bound Madhya Pradesh to address a rally.