New Delhi: Alleging that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sent a "false summons" to him, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said that he has explained to the ED why their summons is illegal adding that his biggest strength and asset is his "honesty."
Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Delhi's Chief Minister said, "In the last two years, all the agencies of BJP have conducted many raids but not a single penny was found. If there is corruption then where is the money? AAP leaders are kept in jail in such fake cases. Now BJP wants to arrest me. My biggest strength and asset is my honesty."
Questioning the timing of the notice just before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the Delhi CM said that the Bharatiya Janata Party wants to stop him from campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections.
"My lawyers told me that the summons was illegal, I wrote the question and sent it to ED. Should I obey an unlawful summon? If a legal summons comes, I will comply with it. Why am I being called just before the Lok Sabha elections? Eight months ago I was called by CBI, I went and gave all the answers. Today they want to stop me from campaigning for the Lok Sabha elections," he added.
AAP chief further said that he has always fought for the country and till his last, he will fight for the country.
"Today, opposition leaders are being included in the BJP through ED. Whoever joins his party, all his matters get resolved. Today honest leaders like Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Vijay Nair have been put in jail. I have always fought for the country. Every breath of mine is for the country. We have to save the country together. I am fighting against them with all my heart, I need your support," he said.
Delhi Chief Minister skipped the third summons issued to him by the ED on Wednesday. The ED issued a third summons to CM Kejriwal on December 22 last year, in connection with the alleged Delhi liquor scam case, asking him to appear before the agency on January 3.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mr Kejriwal, in his reply to the ED, expressed his readiness to cooperate with the investigation but declined to appear on the summoned date, calling the notice "illegal."
Mr Kejriwal further questioned the agency for not responding to his earlier replies when the summons was sent to him and he had raised certain queries on the nature of the agency's investigation.
In his written reply to the ED, the Delhi CM said "As a premier investigating agency the non-disclosure and non-response approach adopted by you cannot sustain the test of law, equity or justice. Your obstinacy is tantamount to assuming the role of judge, jury and executioner at the same time which is not acceptable in our country governed by the rule of law."
"In these circumstances, I urge you to respond to my earlier response and clarify the position so as to enable me to understand the real intent, ambit, nature, sweep and scope of the purported inquiry/investigation for which I am being called" he added in his response.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)