"Nothing new, govt doing probe against all opposition leaders": Akhilesh Yadav on ED summons to Delhi CM

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], January 4 (ANI): Reacting to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal not appearing before the Enforcement Directorate, Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav on Thursday said that this is nothing new adding that the government is doing probe against all opposition leaders.
Delhi Chief Minister skipped the third summon 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.
Referring to this, Akhilesh Yadav told ANI, "This is nothing new, the government is doing probe against all opposition leaders, putting pressure on them and insulting them. The whole nation knows that agencies are being misused."
"The biggest scandal till now was demonetization. One by one all opposition leaders are being probed. This is nothing just a political agenda to distract people," the SP chief added.
Meanwhile, alleging that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has sent a "false summons" to him, CM 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.
The Delhi CM was first called by the central agency to appear on November 2, but he did not depose, alleging that the notice was "vague, motivated, and unsustainable in law." He further alleged that the said summons appeared to be politically motivated and issued for extraneous considerations. (ANI)