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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday alleged the BJP-led central government wanted to arrest him and prevent from campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, saying the ED summons issued to him was aimed at hurting his "biggest asset", honesty, and defaming him.
Kejriwal, however, said that he would cooperate with the Enforcement Directorate (ED) provided he was issued legally valid summons.
"My lawyers have told me that the ED summons are illegal. The BJP wants to arrest me to stop me from campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls," he alleged at an online press briefing.
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convener has so far skipped three summons by the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in connection with a money laundering case linked to the alleged liquor scam.
Kejriwal said the liquor scam case that was being talked about for the last two years was "fake" and the probe agencies have so far failed to present any evidence of corruption.
"My biggest asset is my honesty and the BJP wants to hurt my honesty with fake cases. I have always fought for the country, every breath of mine, every drop of my blood is dedicated to the country," Kejriwal asserted.
The AAP national convener appealed people for their support to him at his hour of crisis.
”The country cannot move forward by putting honest leaders in jail and allowing corrupt people to join their party. What's going on? Whatever is going on is very dangerous. This is very bad for our democracy. It must be stopped," he said.
Kejriwal said that he has written to the ED, saying their summons are "illegal" but has not got any response.
"They haven't replied because they know that their summons are illegal. Should I follow illegal summons? If legally sound summons will be issued, I will follow them. My greatest wealth is my honesty. They want to break me by tarnishing my image," he said.
Kejriwal said that he had appeared before the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) when he was called by the agency eight months ago.
"Why am I being summoned before the Lok Sabha polls? It is because the BJP does not want to get me interrogated but arrested by the ED," he claimed.
The chief minister underlined there is no excise policy scam as it is being alleged and there is no evidence against any of the AAP leaders, who are in jail.
"Manish Sisodia, Sanjay Singh and Vijay Nair are not in jail because they were involved in corruption but because they did not join the BJP. We are able to fight them because we have not been involved in corruption," he said and alleged misuse of the probe agencies by the BJP for political reasons.
The chief minister said that for the last two years, the probe agencies have raided many persons and made arrests in connection with the alleged scam but not even a single penny has been found from anywhere.
”If corruption has really happened then where have all those crores of rupees gone? Did all the money disappear into thin air? The truth is that there was no corruption of any kind, if it had happened then money would also have been received," he said.
Kejriwal said the AAP has been able to stand against the BJP because it is not involved in corruption.
He added that if his party leaders had been involved in any irregularities then they would have joined the saffron outfit like other "corrupt" leaders did.
Meanwhile, Kejriwal announced his three-day poll campaigning in Gujarat beginning Saturday.
In a related development, the AAP leaders claimed that the roads leading to Kejriwal's residence in New Delhi were blocked and the police personnel deployed at all gates as the ED was "gearing up" to raid and arrest the Delhi chief minister.
The Delhi Police, however, said that security around the chief minister's house was beefed up to "manage" the media-persons, who have gathered there since Wednesday after AAP leaders claimed that Kejriwal would be raided and arrested.
Sources said the ED is currently examining Kejriwal's five-page reply sent to the investigating officer of the case on Wednesday and may reject his charges of calling the summons illegal.
The agency may issue its fourth summons to Kejriwal as per provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
AAP leader Atishi, who is a minister in Kejriwal's government, charged that the probe agencies were not able to present any evidence or begin trial in the alleged liquor scam because there was no evidence with them despite two years of investigation.
She alleged that it was the BJP's standard operating procedure to use the PMLA against the leaders of opposition parties because getting bail in such cases was almost impossible.
The alleged liquor scam is nothing but a "political conspiracy", Atishi charged.
"Under this conspiracy now efforts are being made to arrest Kejriwal before the Lok Sabha polls. The BJP wants that Kejriwal should not be able to campaign for Lok Sabha polls," she alleged.
The BJP hit back at the AAP and Kejriwal, saying he was "running away" from the ED probe like a "fugitive".
Delhi BJP president Virendra Sachdeva said, "They have committed theft and corruption, and now they are creating a ruckus."
The alleged liquor scam is related to the excise policy 2021-22 that was scrapped by Kejriwal's government last year after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena recommended a CBI probe into "lapses and irregularities" in its implementation.