After skipping four summons by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the liquor excise policy case, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was issued fresh summons by the central investigation agency on Wednesday (31 January).

According to ANI, Aam Aadmi Party’s (AAP) national convener has been asked to join the investigation on 2 February. The earlier summons sought his presence on 18 January but Kejriwal went to Goa that time.

Reacting to the fresh ED summons, AAP leader Priyanka Kakkar said, “We have got information of a fifth summon. Our legal team is studying it and take action accordingly. The earlier summons were illegal.”

Kejriwal was first summoned to appear before ED on 2 November, and then on 21 December last year. He skipped both summons and was then asked to come in on 3 January, but he cited Rajya Sabha polls and Republic Day preparations.

“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,” he said earlier this month.

Kejriwal maintains that the summons he received is “politically motivated”, expressing confusion as to whether he is being summoned as a witness or a suspect in the case.

The AAP chief had been questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation in connection with the case in April 2023 but had not been made an accused by the agency.