New Delhi: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday set up a confrontation with the Enforcement Directorate by issuing a strongly worded rebuttal, alleging that the latter’s summons to him were leaked to select BJP leaders to malign “my image and reputation and has been issued at the behest of the ruling party”. Calling the summons to be “motivated and issued for extraneous considerations”, the AAP supremo pointed out that BJP leaders had started making statements predicting his arrest before he received the document. In a six-pointer rebuttal to the agency, Kejriwal also said the summons was “vague, motivated and unsustainable in law”.

“The said summons appear to be motivated and issued for extraneous considerations. Simultaneous to the summons, in the afternoon of 30.10.2023, BJP leaders started making statements that soon I would be summoned and arrested, by the evening of that day, I received your summons. It is thus apparent that the said summons was leaked to select BJP leaders to malign my image and reputation and has been issued at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre,” he wrote in the letter.

“Illustratively, BJP MP Sh. Manoj Tiwari openly stated in the afternoon of 30.10.2023, i.e. the same day on which the said summons have been issued to me, that I will be arrested and the same has been widely reported in the media,” he added.

Kejriwal posted three questions before the Enforcement Directorate regarding the summons.

“The said summons is not clear as to the capacity in which I am being summoned i.e. as a witness or a suspect in the above- mentioned case; The said summons fails to provide details in relation to the File bearing F. No. ECIR/HIUII/14/2022 or the reason that I have been summoned therein, or any details thereof; The said summons does not specify whether I am being summoned as an individual or in my official capacity as Chief Minister of Delhi or as National Convenor of AAP and appears to be in the nature of a fishing and roving inquiry,” he wrote.

Indicating his inability to appear before the Enforcement Directorate citing elections in five states, he said, “Being the National Convenor and a star campaigner of the Aam Aadmi Party, a National Party, which is contesting elections, I am required to travel for campaigning and to provide political guidance to my field workers of Aam Aadmi Party.”

Kejriwal also pointed out that he was the chief minister of Delhi and had “governance and official commitments, for which my presence is required”.

“In view of the above, please recall the said summons, which is to say the least, is vague and motivated and I am advised, unsustainable in law,” he added.

The agency had summoned Kejriwal in connection with a money-laundering probe linked to the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. He was to appear before the agency at 11 am today. His office, however, released a statement to the media that he would attend a roadshow in Madhya Pradesh’s Singrauli, hinting that he wouldn’t appear before the agency.

The CMO also said that Kejriwal had sent a reply to the ED.

“The ED notice is illegal and politically motivated. It has been sent on the directions of the BJP. The notice has been sent to ensure that CM is not able to do electioneering in the assembly elections in the four states. The ED should immediately take back the notice,” it added.

AAP leaders Atishi and Saurabh Bhardwaj had claimed Kejriwal would be arrested on November 2.