‘ED not an independent investigating agency’: AAP’s Atishi says ED is BJP’s political tool

Aam Aadmi Party leader Atishi claimed on Thursday that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is a political tool of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and not an independent agency. Her remarks come after Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal filed a fresh plea at the Delhi High Court asking it to direct the ED to not take any coercive action against him. 

“Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has gone to the high court asking for no coercive action by the Enforcement Directorate because it is very clear that today the Enforcement Directorate is not an independent investigating agency. The ED is a political tool of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Today this political tool is being used not for some investigation, it is being used to finish the Opposition,” said Atishi to news agency PTI. 

She accused the BJP of using the ED to ensure that Kejriwal is unable to campaign for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. “It is being used to ensure that Arvind Kejriwal cannot campaign in the Lok Sabha elections. It is being used to ensure that Arvind Kejriwal is arrested and goes behind bars. If ED’s aim is only investigation, then why don’t they stand in court and say that?” she asked. 

“Yesterday when we filed an appeal at the High Court, ED opposed it tooth and nail. Why? Why couldn’t they have just said ‘no, we do not intend to arrest Arvind Kejriwal, we only want to call him for questioning’? So ED’s motivation is 100 per cent clear, they only want to arrest Arvind Kejriwal at the behest of BJP so that he cannot campaign in the Lok Sabha elections,” said Atishi. 

Kejriwal’s fresh plea at the high court on Thursday seeking direction to ED to not take coercive action against him comes after the Delhi Chief Minister skipped all the summonses issued by the central agency. "The Enforcement Directorate should give assurance before the court that it will take no coercive action against me if I comply with the summons,” Kejriwal said in the petition before the court. Kejriwal said he is ready to appear before the ED if it gives him assurance that he will not be arrested or if the court orders for no coercive action to be taken against him. 

Before this, on Wednesday, the court heard a petition by Kejriwal challenging the legality of the summonses issued to him. He had then told the court that he is willing to appear before the ED but he would need protection.